Maisie Summers-Newton shows her class as she storms to World Series gold

Maisie Summers-Newton showed her true class as she stormed to a Citi Para Swimming World Series title at the Aberdeen Sports Village

In the opening finals session of the four-day competition, which incorporates the British Para-Swimming Meet 2022, Summers-Newton shaved almost two seconds off her morning heat time as she broke the three minute barrier to earn an impressive 949 points.

The SM6 swimmer’s time of 2.59.75 left her 124 points clear of the silver medallist Bethany Firth (SM14), who finished in 2:27.51 for a score of 825.

Ireland’s S13 swimmer Roisin Ni Riain took the World Series bronze as she amassed 804 points for her time of 2:32.07.

World-record holder Summers-Newton was joint first in her race after the breaststroke leg and she powered down the final 50m to top the podium.

She said: “I’m really, really pleased. 

“For me, being at the first World Series of the year, I wanted to do quite well for myself, and coming off the Paralympic Games, I wanted to go as close to my PB as I could with the circumstances of my training, university and everything.

“So to go sub three minutes, I was so happy with that. I’ve never gone sub three minutes other than getting a PB, so I think it shows I’m in a really, really good place at the moment.

“On top of that, just seeing all my other teammates from Tokyo here, it’s great.

“I remember seeing them all yesterday, we all just chatted, and today in the swim down. They are the main things about racing, having that social side, that I really like.

“It’s great being here. Aberdeen is such a great pool as well, so it’s all good.”

In the national final, Abby Kane (S13) triumphed with 628 points after finishing in 2:45.15, 110 points ahead of SM6 swimmer Fern Sneddon who won her second silver of the night after recording a time of 3:39.98.

The bronze went to Borough of Kirklees’ S13 swimmer Astrid Carroll in 3:00.38 for 482 points.

Lawlor takes silver

In the Men’s MC 200m Individual Medley World Series final, SM14 swimmer Louis Lawlor won his second medal of the night but had to settle for a silver.

Lawlor finished in a time of 2:18.44 for 790 points – 1.53 seconds behind the gold medallist, Iceland’s Robert Isak Jonsson (SM14) who scored 817.

Belgium’s Aymeric Parmentier (SM14) was third with 741 points for his time of 2:21.44.

SM14 swimmers also filled the top places in the Men’s MC 200m Individual Medley national final, which was won thanks to a dominant performance from Cameron Vearncombe.

The Plymouth Leander swimmer scored 808 points as he finished almost 12 seconds ahead of his closest challenge in a time of 2:17.40.

Kingston Hill’s Owen Garsides was second in 2:29.02 for a score of 634, with Joseph Greaves third in 2:29.85 which earned him 623 points.

New world record

The opening World Series final of the night saw Germany’s Tanja Scholz set a new world record in the Women’s MC 100m Freestyle.

S4 swimmer Scholz clocked 1:25.10 to take the gold medal with 1,011 points.

Paralympic champion Hannah Russell was the silver medallist having clocked 1:01.85 in the S12 classification for 842 points – nine ahead of S9 swimmer Toni Shaw who took bronze with 833 points after finishing in 1:03.53.

Ellie Challis who set a new S3 British record of 1:49.52 in the morning’s heats – knocking more than three seconds off her personal best – but she was just outside that time in the final as she touched home in 1:50.40.

In the Women’s MC 100m Freestyle national final, Skipton’s Abbie Hampshire (S10) took top spot with 666 points for her time of 1:06.56.

It left her 76 points ahead of second placed Sneddon, with the RTW Monson S6 swimmer scoring 590 after clocking 1:24.71.

Third went to Eliza Humphrey (S11), who finished in 1:18.81 for 564 points.

Jordan triumphs

Jordan Catchpole was narrowly outside his personal best of 53.79 as he won the Men’s MC 100m Freestyle World Series final.

The 22-year-old S14 swimmer finished in a time of 53.92 to earn 872 points and top the podium in an extremely close race.

It was a British one, two, three with Stephen Clegg (S12) taking second spot with a score of 837 points for his time of 54.00.

That was only two points ahead of Lawlor, who was the bronze medalist after clocking 54.71 for 835 points.

Catchpole said: “That was really good.

“I’ve been out for a few months after Tokyo with a shoulder injury, and to come back and only be a second off my personal best, I can’t complain with that.”

In the national final, Littlehampton’s Joseph Greaves 57.61) was victorious with 715 points ahead of fellow S14 swimmer Owen Garsides, who touched in 58.12 for a score of 696.

S13 swimmer Matthew Redfern was third on 606 points after finishing in 59.85.

Lyndon victorious

Lyndon Longhorne topped the podium in the Men’s MC 150m Individual World Series final.

Three S4 swimmers were battling out for top spot but it was Longhorne who triumphed with a score of 526 points after clocking 2:54.80 – 0.43 ahead of Spain’s Javier Torres,

His time of 2.55.23 earned him 522 points.

Harvey Phillips was third after touching home in 3:46.16 for a score of 243.

Main picture: Georgie Kerr/British Swimming

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