Toby Robinson smashes PB to clinch 1500m Freestyle gold

Toby Robinson clocked a nine-second PB to clinch 1500m Freestyle gold at the British Summer Champs 2017.

The 30-lap event was a step down in distance for Robinson, who has just returned from swimming the 5km open water event at the 2017 World Championships in Budapest, finishing 16th on his World debut.

The Loughborough University swimmer was pushed all the way by 2016 European Junior champion Tom Derbyshire in Sheffield, with Robinson holding a 0.18 second advantage at the final turn.

The 20-year old came home strongest to touch in 15:09.50, beating his previous lifetime best of 15:18.50 from the British Championships in April. Bath University swimmer Derbyshire was just over half a second back in 15:10.05.

There were English gold medallists across the four other age groups in the 1500m Free.

Millfield’s Kieran Bird went one better than in the 400m Free on the opening day, winning the 17/18 Yrs title in 15:48.28.

There was another Newcastle gold and silver in the 16 Yrs age group as Adam Wilson and Alfie Kelly swapped places on the podium from yesterday’s 200m Fly.

Wilson took the touch in 16:05.61 while Kelly also came home in a PB, stopping the clock on 16:11.93.

Winchester’s Pietro Forconi upgraded from his 400m Free silver to win the 13/14 Yrs age group in a PB 16:31.63 while another 14-year old, Newcastle’s Ciaran Thomas, won the 15 Yrs event in a PB 16:21.83.

Newcastle success continues into 200m Fly

There was more success for Newcastle Swim Team as they picked up their third gold of the session in the 200m Fly.

Emily Large bagged her second victory in as many nights, competing the 50m and 200m Fly double.

The 16-year old won all three distances of butterfly at last year’s event, and closed in on another clean sweep in Sheffield with a 2:10.29 effort.

City of Sheffield’s Isobel Grant was the only other swimmer to break 2:11 on the day, winning the senior title with a PB 2:10.90.

The 17/18 Yrs crown went to City of Leeds’ Amelia Clynes, clocking a season’s best 2:11.92 to take the touch from 50m Fly champion Laura Stephens (2:12.62).

Fleur Lewis and Maisie Elliott put on an exciting race in the 13/14 Yrs age group, with less than 0.1 seconds separating the two at the touch.

City of Leicester swimmer Elliott took the race out but Barnet Copthall’s Lewis recovered from 1.5 seconds down at the 150m turn to win in a PB 2:18.37 from Elliott’s PB 2:18.42.

Brompton’s Alesha Kelly was the fastest English swimmer home in the 15 Yrs age group, winning bronze in a PB 2:18.71.

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