Conor Ballard sets new personal best to win first gold of National Summer Meet

Conor Ballard set a new personal best to win the first gold medal of the 2019 Swim England National Summer Meet.

The 17-year-old Leatherhead swimmer (S10) finished in 1:01.39 in the Men’s MC 100m Freestyle race – bettering his previous best by 1.05 seconds.

He scored 568 points to take the title ahead of S10 swimmer Kieran Williams.

Williams, from Newquay, clocked 1:03.60 to secure 511 points and the silver medal.

The bronze medal was shared by Bolton Metro’s Luke Batty (S9) and Wirrall Metro’s Matthew Harding (S6).

Batty finished in 1:08.12 for 503 points, the same score as Harding who touched home in 1:21.21.

Women’s MC 100m Freestyle

Fern Sneddon set her second personal best of the day as she won the Women’s MC 100m Freestyle.

The Royal Tunbridge Wells Monson SC swimmer clocked her fastest ever time of 1:27.21 in the morning’s heats.

But that record didn’t last long as the 13-year-old S6 swimmer touched home in 1:26.36 for a total of 565 points to take the gold medal.

Camden Swiss’s Leah O’Connell was the silver medallist after earning 545 points.

The 17-year-old S7 swimmer clocked 1:23.27 and was three points ahead third-placed Grace Ella Cooper-Holmes.

Cockermouth’s Cooper-Holmes (S7) finished in 1:23.41 for a total of 542 points.

Men’s 100m Breaststroke

Marco Roberts chopped a huge two seconds off his personal best to triumph in the 13-14 Years race.

The 14-year-old Hackney swimmer had qualified for the final with his quickest ever time of 1:13.12.

But he obliterated that to take the gold medal in a race that saw only 0.79 seconds separate the top three.

Roberts clocked 1:11.09 which was 0.26 ahead of Millfield’s George Satchwell 1:11.35.

Chelsea and Westminster’s Edward Whittles was the bronze medallist in a time of 1:11.83.

In the 15 Years race, City of Leicester’s Alexander Casey also set a new personal best as he topped the podium.

He recorded 1:08.37, which was 1.12 seconds faster than his heat time.

Wycombe District’s David Eddy was second in a time of 1:09.06, narrowly ahead of the bronze medallist, Cockermouth’s Jack Smith, who finished in 1:09.13.

Stratford Sharks’ Daniel Cox touched home a fraction of a second ahead of Royal Wolverhampton’s Daniel Parsons in a thrilling 16 Years race.

Cox finished in 1:08.31 to shatter the personal best he set in the heats by 1.57 seconds.

That time was 0.05 clear of Parsons, who recorded 1:08.31 to take the silver medal.

Mount Kelly’s Adam Nash was third in a time of 1:08.88.

There was a five-way battle for the gold in the 17 Years race with City of Milton Keynes’ Alexander Meijer finishing first in 1:06.38.

The 17-year-old was 0.16 ahead of Nova Centurion’s Thomas White, who took second with his time of 1:06.54.

Third went to Bishop Stortford’s Bryn Couser who was 0.06 further back in 1:06.60.

Just over half-a-second was the margin between the top five.

Derwentside’s Joel O’Halleron was a comfortable winner in the 18 Years and Over competition.

He was the only swimmer to go under 1:04.00 as he touched home first in 1:03.89.

That was 0.75 seconds in front of the silver medallist, Derventio’s Joshua Pemberton who clocked 1:04.64.

Mount Kelly’s Ben Harrison was in third place in a time of 1:04.86.

Women’s 100m Breaststroke

Rosie Richards cruised to the gold medal in the 12-13 Years race.

The Rushmoor Royals’ swimmer won by a comfortable 1.24 seconds as she touched home in 1:15.16.

Women’s 12/13 Years 100m Breaststroke champion Rosie Richards cheered to gold by her Rushmoor @RoyalsSC teammates. 👏#SESwimming#SEsummermeetpic.twitter.com/2aLMspSr6p

— Swim England (@Swim_England) July 31, 2019

Charlotte Bianchi, City of Sheffield, was second in 1:16.40, only 0.05 in front of Guildford’s Charlotte Cope who took the third place on the podium in 1:16.45.

City of Cambridge’s Sofia Pappas-Katsiafas Pom was victorious in the 14 years race by more than half a second.

Her time of 1:14.18 earned the gold medal by 0.52 seconds from Sheffield City’s Sienna Robinson (1:15.00).

Maxwell’s Gracie Hudson was the bronze medallist after recording 1;15.26.

In the 15 Years race, Chesterfield’s Sophie Baker came out on top ahead of Thanet Swim’s Maddison Lay.

Baker clocked 1:14.50 to finish 0.31 year of Lay who took the silver in 1:14.81.

Third place went to Guildford’s Amy Fowlds who recorded 1:15.24

City of Peterborough’s Beth Dennis was crowned national champion in the 16 years contest.

She touched home second behind Toronto Canada’s Madeline Spencer, who won a commemorative gold medal for her time of 1:11.66.

Dennis finished in 1:13.21, which was almost a second ahead of Maxwell’s Elena Coogan, who took national silver in 1:14.17.

The national bronze medal was won by Fareham’s Hannah Cooper in a time of 1:15.10.

Ashley Ransome put on a strong last 50m to take gold in the 17 Years and Over race.

She was trailing City of Birmingham’s Elizabeth Kingham by 0.58 seconds as they turned for home.

But Ransome topped the podium as she clocked 1:12.28, 0.28 ahead of Kingham (1:12.56).

Brompton’s Pixie Lale-Klasicki was third as she finished in 1:13.48.