Adam Peaty powers to British title with fastest time in world this year

Adam Peaty clocked the fastest 100m Breaststroke time in the world this year as he was crowned British champion in Glasgow.

The Loughborough NC swimmer dropped under the 58-second mark for the first time in 2019 as he finished in 57.87 to top the podium at the Tollcross International Sports Centre.

It knocked 0.42 seconds off the previous fastest time set in 2019 by Belarus’s Ilya Shymanovich, who recorded 58.29 in Marseille, France, in March.

Peaty, who touched home in 58.50 in the morning’s heats, finished ahead of his Loughborough team-mate James Wilby, who took the silver in 58.66, while University of Stirling’s Ross Murdoch was the bronze medallist in 59.21.

“It’s nice to come here and still drop under 57,” said Peaty, who was also inside the consideration time for the World Championships in Korea this summer.

“Everyone wants to go faster but I’m in that time of my season now where I’m putting those big gains in for a later investment. For me it’s not about the short-term gains.

“Coming back on that last 50m, I was just smoothing it out. The world championships will be a very different race.

“Taking the winter off from competitions has done me the world of good. My stroke feels amazing and I don’t think I’ve ever, ever been this strong and as powerful.

“I’ll learn from the next few months going into the World Championships and it’s going to be a great one.”

Anderson grabs gold in thrilling race

Freya Anderson was crowned British champion in the women’s 200m Freestyle after edging out Holly Hibbott by one-hundredth of a second.

The Ellesmere College swimmer touched home in 1:58.22 to take the gold medal ahead of Stockport Metro’s Hibbott, who clocked 1:58.23.

Hibbott was the only swimmer to go sub two minutes in the heats but Anderson led from start to finish to top the podium, despite a late surge from Hibbott

Georgia Coates, of Bath NC, recorded a season’s best time of 1:59.40 to take the bronze medal.

Anderson said: “I think I can go faster than that.

“I’ll get back to training and see what time I can put out. But I’m just getting ready to focus on the 100m on Friday.”

Aimee ‘pretty chuffed’

Aimee Willmott was 3.46 seconds clear of the field as she triumphed in the women’s 400m Individual Medley.

The Commonwealth Games champion finished in a season-best time of 4:36.98 to take gold ahead of Loughborough’s Abbie Wood (4:40.44) and Aberdeen’s Hannah Miley (4:42.68).

Willmott, who has recently switched to the University of Stirling, admitted she was ‘pretty chuffed’ with her performance.

“I would have liked a little bit faster than that,” she said. “I think I could have pushed a little bit faster than this time last year at the Commonwealth Games but yes, I’m pretty chuffed.

“It’s easy to deviate from the race plan and I’ll probably look back at when I’ve gone too fast or not picked it up when I should have.

“There are always things to work on towards the summer.”

Vasey happy with golden swim

Loughborough NC’s Sarah Vasey was victorious in the women’s 50m Breaststroke, finishing in a season’s best 30.72 to take the gold ahead of Stockport’s Katie Matts (31.44).

Vasey was 0.60 seconds faster than her morning heat time and she said: “I’ve got quite a wait until the 100m on Sunday so it was just good to get a win under my belt.

“I’ve struggled with my 50m so far this season so to dip under 31, I’m really, really happy with that.”

Guildford’s Tatiana Belonogoff was third in a time of 31.46.

Jervis cruises to victory

Daniel Jervis cruised to victory in the men’s 400m Freestyle final.

The Swansea University swimmer was almost five seconds clear of the field as he finished in a season’s best time of 3:47.57.

Bath NC’s Kieran Bird was the silver medallist in a time of 3:52.21 as he just edged out City of Sheffield’s Samuel Budd, who was third in 3:52.26.

Debut British title for Howdle

In the men’s 50m Backstroke, Stockport’s Thomas Howdle won his first senior British title in another close contest.

Only 0.37 seconds separated the top three, with Howdle touching home first in 25.23.

Newcastle’s Nicholas Pyle (25.48) was the silver medallist, with Swansea University’s Liam White third in 25.60.