British record for Simmonds on Winter Meet opening night

The ASA National Winter Meet opening night got off to an exciting start with lifetime and season’s performances across all events as well as a British Short Course record for Lizzie Simmonds and junior records for Anna Maine, Nathan Hughes and Elliot Clogg.

Day one finals: Women’s 100m Backstroke

In a tight race for the wall, it was a British record swim of 56.35 that secured gold for Bath University’s Lizzie Simmonds.

“I’m very pleased with that swim,” said Simmonds. “After a disappointing world champs for me, this season is about the process of re-setting and learning from that. With tonight’s PB and gold, that’s a good sign for me.”

Commonwealth and European silver medallist Georgia Davies (Loughborough University) posted a season’s best time of 56.84 to take silver, while Stockport Metro’s Lauren Quigley was third in 57.79.

There was also a British Junior record for Anna Maine (Woking) who touched the wall sixth in a time of 59.23 to win junior gold. The junior silver medal went to Cassie Wild (1:00.25) and Ellinor Southward took bronze in 1:01.52.

Day one finals: Men’s 200m Backstroke

Sitting in seventh position at the half way mark, Bath University’s Joseph Hulme showed his strength over the second 100m, moving through the field to take gold in a new personal best time of 1:55.27.

One of the early race leaders, Elliot Clogg (City of Sheffield) was able to hold onto his place on the podium, setting a new British junior record of 1:56.70 for bronze, while City of Sunderland’s Jonny Carlisle took silver in 1:55.97.

Max Jameson (Thanet Swim) won junior gold in 2:03.63 while City of Leeds’ Miles Stirk (2:04.62) and Wycombe District’s James Eddy (2:04.80) won junior silver and bronze respectively.

Day one finals: Men’s 400m Freestyle

Jay Lelliott (Bath University), who won European silver and World University Games gold in this event, dropped another six seconds off the personal best set in this morning’s heats, winning gold in a time of 3:38.60.

“I’m shocked really,” said Lelliott. “My goal was to go under 3:40 but it’s a bit early for that. I’m feeling good and I surprised myself tonight!”

There were also lifetime best swims from City of Sheffield’s Nicholas Grainger, who posted a time of 3:40.24 for silver, and Loughborough University’s Tim Shuttleworth who took the final place on the rostrum in 3:42.59.

Hatfield’s Nathan Hughes posted an English Junior short course record in the B final, touching the wall sixth in 3:54.78 and taking the junior gold medal. The junior silver medal went to Jakob Goodman (Millfield) in 4:00.00 and junior bronze was won by James Watson (Swindon Dolphins) in 4:00.76.

Day one finals: Women’s 200m IM

European silver medallist Aimee Willmott (London Aquatics) looked in control from the whistle, taking the top spot on the podium after posting a new lifetime best of 2:08.24 for gold.

Loughborough University’s Molly Renshaw (2:09.23) and Stockport Metro’s Lucy Mckenzie (2:11.47) also set new lifetime bests, winning silver and bronze respectively.

Jane Brown (Newcastle) took junior gold in 2:15.93 followed by Alicia Wilson (Guildford) in 2:16.44 and Ciara Schlosshan in 2:16.74.

Day one finals: Men’s 100m Fly

Loughborough University’s Adam Barrett improved on his performance from this morning’s heats, dropping over a second off his qualifying time to set a season’s best and take gold in 50.26.

London 2012 Olympian, Antony James (Plymouth Leander), took silver in 51.05, while City of Sheffield Braxston Timm won bronze in 51.41.

Poole’s Jacob Peters, who set a British Junior record in this morning’s heats (54.46), won junior gold in 54.97 Sam Dailley Plymouth Leander winning junior silver in 55.72 and bronze going to Lewis Kerrod (City of Leicester) in 56.73.

Day one finals: Women’s 100m Free

Harriet Cooper, who won triple Freestyle gold at the recent Ontario Junior International in Canada, went out fast in the opening metres of the race and was able to maintain this speed to take gold in a new lifetime best of 53.31.

“I’m really happy, being able to step it up in the finals is a good feeling,” said Cooper. “I’ve had a really good block of training lately after a few years of on and off, now I’ve got my head down and I’m working really hard and it’s really starting to pay off.”

The City of Derby swimmer was joined on the podium by Loughborough University’s Sophie Smith (53.81) and Woking’s Hannah Burvill (53.84) who were separated by the tiniest of margins for silver and bronze respectively.

Anna Fleming (City of Glasgow) took junior gold in 55.77 with Freya Anderson (Ellesmere College) taking junior silver in 55.98 and Plymouth Leander’s Emma England third 56.51.

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