Tia Ward lands fifth gold on day four of Summer Champs

Tia Ward landed her fifth gold on day four of the 2016 British Summer Championships in Sheffield.

The City of Leeds swimmer sliced a couple of seconds off her PB to win the 13/14 Yrs 200m Backstroke in 2:16.64.

Ward’s victory continued a remarkable run that saw her lift the 200m Free, 400m IM, 800m Free and 200m Fly crowns over the first three days.

The 13-year old is swimming at her first British Summer Champs, having been too young to compete 12 months ago.

But Ward’s talent has already been recognised by the England Programmes team, who took her to the Energy Standard Cup in Italy earlier this season. It was in Italy where she set her previous PB of 2:18.66.

Northampton’s Charlotte Fletcher-Stables took the race out from lane 4, turning first at 100m on 1:07.13 with Ward second on 1:07.46. But Ward’s paced her race to perfection, pulling ahead on the third leg and coming away with splits of 33:06, 34.40, 34.70 and 34.50.

Millfield’s Rachel Anderson was the only other swimmer to beat 2:18, clocking a PB 2:17.72 for silver.

Taz Pugh scoops fourth gold of meet in 16 Yrs age group

Ellesmere College Titans’ Taz Pugh won her fourth gold of the meet with gold in the 16 Yrs 200m Backstroke.

The 16-year old had already picked up victories in the 400m IM, 200m Fly and as the opening leg on the 14-16 Yrs 4x200m Freestyle Relay.

She was favourite to add the 200m Back title to her collection, having won gold in this event at the European Junior Championships earlier this month.

And Pugh duly obliged, clocking 2:12.89 in the final – the fourth fastest time of her career behind her efforts from the heats, semis and final at European Juniors.

In contrast to Ward and Pugh, Nova Centurion’s Rosie Rudin scooped her first gold of the meet in the 17/18 Yrs 200m Back final.

Rudin’s previous PB was a 2:12.23 effort to finish seventh in the World Junior final last year. But she raced past that marker in Sheffield, leading from gun to wall on the way to victory in 2:11.66.

  • Click here to view results from the 2016 British Summer Championships in Sheffield.
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