Ben Proud breaks British 50m Freestyle record

Swimming News

Plymouth Leander’s Ben Proud broke the 50m Freestyle British record in the day five finals at the British Swimming Championships 2017.

He had almost a second on the rest of the field, touching in 21.32 to take the gold medal.

This was the fastest time in the world this year, and secured him a spot at the World Championships in Budapest. Proud’s club mate Thomas Fannon took silver with a time of 22.21 and Jack Thorpe of Edinburgh was third (22.53).

Proud commented: “It feels great to get the British record. You never know what time you are going to swim in a 50m race. It’s a really good starting point for the season.

“Fast times this early in the year don’t really mean a thing. It gives me a confidence boost, but my competitors around the world aren’t going to take a second look.

“What I have to do now is focus on my strengths and hopefully by Budapest I’ll have moved that time on, that would be great.”

Quigley swims dead heat for bronze

City of Liverpool’s Lauren Quigley and Edinburgh Uni’s Lucy Hope both made it to the wall in 28.49 in the Women’s 50m Backstroke event. It was a close race between the top four, and by the halfway point they were all in a position to take the win.

A three-time silver medallist at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, Quigley just couldn’t keep pace with the two leaders. She and Hope were shoulder to shoulder for the last 20 metres.

It was Welsh swimmer Georgia Davies who made it to the wall first to claim the title. She touched in 27.69. Kathleen Dawson of the University of Sterling was second fastest, taking silver in a time of 28.19. Quigley and Hope claimed bronze medals.

  • Click here to view full results from the British Swimming Championships 2017.
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