The 2019 British Swimming Championships entered its final day of competition after a climactic week of fast swimming.
With standout performances last night from national headliners like Duncan Scott, spectators waited anxiously for their favorite athletes’ final appearances. Showing no signs of fatigue, Britain kicked off another head-turning session before finalizing the World Championships roster, solidifying the country’s position as a huge international swimming threat.
Benjamin Proud topped off an impressive individual schedule with another national title in the men’s 50 fly. Establishing himself as one of the country’s marquee sprinters, Proud will fill out Britain’s national team as one of its key athletes with an immense capability to rake in points on the world stage.
Spectators saw another national record scare, as Luke Greenback came within reach of James Goddard’s 200 back record from 2010. Finishing with a time of 1:55.89, Greenback managed to seize the national title despite eclipsing Goddard’s mark.
This week’s swims have only built anticipation leading up to this year’s World Championships, as Britain has constructed a team that will be difficult to handle on the international stage.
Swimming World’s 2019 British Championships Page
Order of Events
- Women’s 1500 Free
- Men’s 50 Fly
- Women’s 100 Breast
- Men’s 200 Back
- Women’s 100 Fly
- Men’s 200 Free
Women’s 1500 Free
The last day of the 2019 British Swimming Championships kicked off with the grueling 1500, but Leah Crisp made it look easy. Splitting a perfect race throughout, Crisp and Emily Clarke traded leads throughout the race, with Clarke gaining a three-second advantage over Crisp at the 850m mark. Crisp showcased her back-end speed, however, surging into the finish to crash the pads with a 16:44.29 to edge out Clarke’s 16:45.36.
Georgia Darwent remained an outside threat, narrowly out-splitting Clarke in the majority of the first half of the race. She conceded second by a relatively narrow margin, clocking in at 1:47.85.
Maisie Macartney touched in next, stopping the clock at 16:51.68 to cinch fourth ahead of Fleur Lewis (16:52.46). The two appeared to be in a sprint race all their own, as the next wave featured Michaela Glenister, who dropped a 16:55.69 to put distance between herself and Nikki Miller (17:02.11). Miller edged out Lauren Wetherell (17:02.32) by a little over 0.2, as the two rounded out a loaded distance heat.
Men’s 50 Fly
Benjamin Proud went out on top at the 2019 British Swimming Championships, as he sprinted to a 23.25 finish in the men’s 50 fly. Putting distance between himself and Lewis Fraser (23.98), Proud finished just outside his own national record of 22.75, while still cinching the national title. Jacob Peters barely eclipsed the sub-24 mark, clocking in at 24.03 to take down Scott McLay (24.05).
Alexander Bowen (24.08) was right in the mix, as his fifth-place finish was a mere 0.05 from breaking the top three. Same Horrocks brought it home in 24.17 to gain a healthy lead over Cameron Brooks-Clarke, who topped off his individual schedule with a 24.45. Henry Bland finished the lap with a 24.55, landing himself at eighth in the men’s blazing finals heat.
Women’s 100 Breast
The women showcased an impressive sprint stroke game, one of the country’s strengths in international competition. Jocelyn Ulyett did not disappoint, as she dropped a 1:07.35 to edge out eighteen-year-old Tatiana Belongoff (1:07.61). The heat was tightly packed at the top, as Sarah Vassey touched in just 0.01 after Belonogoff to earn her spot on the podium with a time of 1:07.62.
Molly Renshaw was the last of the 1:07’s, as she brought it home in a 1:07.75 to round out one of the world’s fastest top four. Siobhan-Marie O’Connor showed off her versatility, clocking in at 1:08.07 ahead of Imogen Clark (1:08.34). The heat’s outside lanes remained in the pack, as Kayla Van Der Merwe and Katie Matts finished with times of 1:08.61 and 1:08.74, respectively.
Men’s 200 Back
Luke Greenback (1:55.89) took the men’s 200 back with ease, just eclipsing James Goddard’s nine-year-old record by 0.31. Nevertheless, he was in a field all his own, posting one of the fastest times of the year in Britain.
Craig McNally finished strongly with a time of 1:58.89, maintaining a decent lead over Jay Lelliott throughout the race. Lelliott pressed to the end, clocking in at 1:59.64 to tie Brodie Williams.
Charlie Brown made his presence known by breaking into the top five with a time of 2:00.25, pulling away from James McFadzen (2:01.17) at the finish. Charlie Hutchinson was not to be ignored, as he dropped a 2:03.08 to out-swim Daniel Hall (2:04.58) in the far lane.
Women’s 100 Fly
Alys Thomas and Charlotte Atkinson battled it out for the women’s fly title in a long-awaited showdown. Atkinson had Thomas at the first 50, clocking in a 27.26 to Thomas’ 27.54, but it was Thomas who managed to get her hand on the wall first at the finish. Crashing the pads with a 58.20 to trump Atkinson’s 58.30, Thomas earned herself bragging rights at the women’s 100 fly national champion.
Laura Stephens was not far behind, as she dropped a 58.82 of her own without faltering at the finish, out-swimming eighteen-year-old Freya Anderson (59.16).
Harriet West headed the second wave of swimmers, dropping a 59.25 to beat Tain Bruce (59.49). It was a closely packed bottom half of the heat, as Emily Large and Harriet Jones evaded the 1:00 mark, posting times of 59.67 and 59.87, respectively.
Men’s 200 Free
Duncan Scott made his final appearance in style at the 2019 British Swimming Championships, reestablishing himself as Britain’s freestyle stalwart. Dropping a 1:45.63, Scott found a way to get his hand on the wall first once again, out-swimming James Guy (1:46.34) at the finish to cinch another national title. Thomas Dean remained an outside threat, dropping an impressive 1:46.86 of his own to break his way into the top three.
Calum Jarvis swam in alone, as he distanced himself from Cameron Kurle (1:48.18) in the race’s final yards, seizing fourth with a time of 1:47.18. Max Litchfield stayed on Kurle’s heels, almost overtaking him at the finish with a time of 1:48.22).
Seventeen-year-old Matthew Richards and Kyle Chisholm topped off the meet with times of 1:49.36 and 1:49.81, respectively. The men sealed the 2019 British Swimming Championships on a high note, leaving spectators eager for the season to come.
