Records tumble as Team GB win five medals at Para-swimming World Series

Great Britain’s swimmers tore up the record books on their way to five medals during another successful night at the Para-swimming World Series in Germany.

Ellie Simmonds, Reece Dunn and Brock Whiston all topped the podium, while Maisie Summers-Newton and Alice Tai also added to the medal haul.

Dunn, Tai and Whiston also set new world records as Team GB laid down a marker ahead of the World Championships in London this September.

First gold for Simmonds

Simmonds (S6) claimed her first gold of the event in Berlin as she edged out her team-mate Summers-Newton (S6) in the Women’s 400m Freestyle.

In a thrilling race, Simmonds touched home in 5:21.98, 2.02 seconds ahead of Summers-Newton, to earn a total of 944 points.

Summers-Newton clocked 5:24.00 to take the silver with a score of 929.

America’s Mckenzie Coan (S7) was the bronze medallist as her time of 5:11.06 earned 906 points.

Ellie Simmonds and Maisie Summers-Newton going head-to-head in the final race of day three

GBR v GBR

It's the women's 400m free!!#WorldSeries#ParaSwimming#IDMBerlin2019pic.twitter.com/CCyJ235THF

— Para Swimming (@Para_swimming) June 8, 2019

Simmonds was quick to praise Summers-Newton and said it was pleasing to see the next generation making their mark ahead of a busy year.

“Maisie is doing incredible things in the IM, the breaststroke and the 100m free,” she said.

“She is a multi-talented woman and it’s great for Paralympic sport, and especially Great Britain, to have the likes of her, Ellie Robinson, Jordan Catchpole and all those youngsters coming through.

“They are the next generation and ones to watch in Tokyo next year.”

Summers-Newton added: “I have always aspired to Ellie and to talk to her and race against her is amazing.”

Whiston’s confidence boost

Whiston (SB8) believed altering her warm-up in the morning had a big impact as she won gold in the Women’s 50m Breaststroke.

She set a new world record of 34.12 for 1,114 points.

Whiston said: “We had a massive change in warm-up and it clearly worked.

“Leading onto the Worlds, it’s a big confidence boost.”

Germany’s Elena Krawzow (SB12) was second with 1,070 points for her world record time of 34.11, while Russia’s Mariia Latritskaia (SB12) took bronze after clocking 34.21 for 1,060 points.

Dunn tops podium again

Reece Dunn won his third medal of the competition – and second gold – as he triumphed in the Men’s 50m Freestyle.

Dunn wins AGAIN!!

What a meet for the newcomer!!#WorldSeries#ParaSwimming#IDMBerlin2019pic.twitter.com/qDC7iiuvjg

— Para Swimming (@Para_swimming) June 8, 2019

The S14 swimmer clocked 23.62 to earn 875 points and finish above Russia’s Kirill Belousov (S11), who recorded 26.47 for 820 points and Estonia’s Matz Topkin (S4) who scored 801 for his time of 40.26.

Tai stunned by record time

Tai (S8) said she was in shock after breaking the 29-second barrier in the Women’s 50m Freestyle for the first time in her career.

It was her fourth world record of the week and her time of 28.97 earned a total of 908 points and the bronze medal.

She said: “I couldn’t see my time and then saw I had gone sub 29.

“My previous PB was 29.43. I’m in shock. I feel like I’m going to cry but I can’t stop smiling.”

Holland’s Liesette Bruinsma (S11) took the gold medal in 30.37 for 946 points, while Russia’s Anna Krivshina (S12) won silver with 914 points for her time of 27.26.