Layla Black makes history with 200m Breaststroke gold

The Bahamas 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games got off to a great start for Team England swimmers, with 10 finalists and three PBs on day one of the swimming events.

Layla Black repeated her success from Samoa in 2015, jump-starting the medal haul with gold in the 200m Breaststroke. She is the first Team England athlete to win gold at two consecutive Games.

Black went out strong and kept control of the race from start to finish. The City of Leeds swimmer touched in 2:31.00 to top the podium.

The reigning champion in both her events from 2015 has her sights set on another title in the 100m Breast.

She commented: “It’s a fantastic feeling, I’m delighted. I’m looking to retain both the titles that I won two years ago [in Samoa] so I’m halfway towards achieving that.

“Seeing what people like Jess Ennis Hill, Danny Cipriani and Beth Tweddle have gone on to achieve after doing well for England at Commonwealth Youth Games gives me huge confidence for the future.”

Black’s result brought a second international gold in the space of a month, having also topped the podium at the European Junior Championships in Netanya, Israel.

Boseley and Wilson claim one silver apiece

While Black was England’s only swimming gold medallist of the opening day, both Lily Boseley and Alicia Wilson claimed silver medals in their respective events.

City of Sheffield swimmer Boseley’s medal came in the 100m Backstroke. She shaved more than a second from the time she set in the heats, touching in 1:02.19.

Meanwhile, Guildford City’s Wilson set a new personal best time for her silver medal in the 50m Butterfly. She touched in 27.28, four tenths of a second faster than her heat swim.

Wilson was also a medallist at the European Juniors, winning 200m IM bronze in Israel.

Other finalists on day one

Leah Crisp made her way into the finals on day one, slightly slower than her qualifying time.

The City of Leeds swimmer must have saved plenty in the tank for the final though, as she dropped her personal best time to 2:02.72 to finish sixth.

Elizabeth Harris was the final swimmer to set a new personal best time. The swimmer was more than a second faster than her heat swim, finishing fourth.

James McFazden made both the 50m Fly and 100m Back finals, but finished seventh in both. Jakob Goodman also swam in two finals.

The 1500m Free (fastest heat) in which he finished eighth, and 200m Free where he finished fifth. Mason Wilby finished eighth in the 50m Fly, just behind McFazden.

  • Click here to see full results from the swimming events at the Bahamas 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games.
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