Parkinson powers to second gold in day two finals

August 5, 2015

Jarvis Parkinson of Doncaster recieves his second gold of the championships and Tia Ward of Leeds narrowly misses out on gold in the 100m Backstroke in the day two finals.

Parkinson of Doncaster Dartes took his second gold in the 16/17yrs 50m Breaststroke final, swimming 30.17 for the win. Matthew Bradley of Sedgefield was just behind, touching 30.20 for silver and Zak Aitchinson of Bournemouth took bronze (30.32).

“I wasn’t swimming so well last week so double golds and two PBs feels good right now,” said Parkinson. “I’m going to be training hard over the next three weeks in the lead up to the Games in Samoa early September.

“I’m also looking forward to a bit of time in New Zealand and being in that part of the world. It should be really fun.”

Eight of the ten swimmers going into the 12/13yrs 50m Breaststroke final posted PBs in the heats, but it was Finnian Trehane of Bournemouth who touched first for gold (32.49).

He was followed by second fastest qualifier Tom Adams of Deepings SC, who took silver in a time of 33.51 and Timothy Leberl of Beckenham who claimed bronze (33.89). Eoin Corby of Munster was third fastest and received a commemorative bronze with a time of 33.64.

The 14yrs final saw James Pettener of Liverpool, who won silver in the 400m IM yesterday, post 32.83 for gold and a new PB. Benjamin Simpson of Leatherhead claimed silver (33.02) and Alexander Borisov of Camden Swiss took bronze (33.50).

In the 15yrs final, Jack Tucker of Millfield powered down the last 20 metres, showing superior strength against his competitors. He touched in a new PB of 31.45 for gold, with Connor Joyce of Cockermouth touching in 31.78 for silver and Connor King of Derwentside claiming bronze (32.70).

The last 50m Breaststroke final saw Simon Smith of Stockport and David Trickett of Leicester both touch in 29.49 for gold medals in the 18yrs+ age group. Adam Freundlich of Long Eaton took the bronze medal with 29.64.

Meers holds off Ward in fantastic 100m Backstroke final

The women’s 100m Backstroke 12/13yrs final saw fastest qualifier Tia Ward beaten by Imogen Meers in a tense race. Meers swam a PB 1:06.36 for the gold medal, with Ward touching in 1:07.15 for silver and Phoebe Townsend of Ellesmere a stroke behind for bronze in 1:07.47.

In the 14yrs final, Sophie Hart also touched in a personal best 1:06.94 to claim gold ahead of Laura Brookes of Doncaster (1:07.72) who took silver and Emma Jones of Salford who was a mere 0.23 seconds behind for bronze (1:07.95).

The 15yrs final saw Brooke Frost and Phoebe Downs almost neck and neck in the heats, both swimming PBs and touching 0.06 seconds apart. In the final, Frost took the gold with 1:05.66, while Downs took silver in exactly the same time she made in the heats, 1:06.67. Elloise Clements of Thanet claimed the bronze with 1:06.86.

Second fastest in the heats, Emily Cutler, made the touch first in the 16/17yrs final. The Mt Kelly swimmer went 1:04.08 for gold, followed closely by Courteney Price of Royal Wolverhampton who took silver (1:04.17) and Alix Knagg of Manchester who took bronze (1:04.57). All three swimmers posted new PBs.

The 18yrs+ final had five girls going stroke for stroke down the last 50m.

The gold medal went to Rachel Helm of Tynemouth swimming in lane two, who touched in 1:04.21. There was nothing separating Rebecca Jones of Derby and Josephine Blades of St Felix School for most of the race, with Jones swimming 1:04.73 for silver and Blades 1:04.86 for bronze.