HANNAH Miley and double Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington both produced impressive efforts in the run-up to the world championships on the opening day of the British Gas Scottish National Open Championships at Tollcross Leisure Centre in Glasgow.
Miley, who has already qualified for the worlds in Rome next month, confirmed her domination of the 400m medley. The 19-year-old European record-holder cruised to victory in four minutes 39.35 seconds.
Adlington, Olympic champion in both the 40
0m and 800m freestyle, made sure of a relay place in the 200m freestyle in a quality 1:57.15.Scot Caitlin McClatchey also clinched her world spot by taking third in 1:58.49.
"I'll not swim the 200m individual event at the worlds, but I always love to do the 4x200m relay," said 20-year-old Adlington. "It's when we all come together and it's a brilliant event. I wasn't rested for this meet and I knew it was going to be a challenge. I had to make the top three, so to win was a bonus."
This week's four-day meet in Glasgow was not expected to produce too many fast times as competitors tailor their schedule to peak in Rome, so it was a pleasant surprise to see Gemma Spofforth smash the British record in the women's 50m backstroke. However, the feat will not guarantee the 21-year-old a place at the World Championships as the 50m backstroke is not an Olympic event.
Edinburgh swimmer Michael Jamieson won the 200m breaststroke, beating his training partner and fellow-Scot Kris Gilchrist, who has already qualified for Rome. His time of 2:11.17 was a personal best, but not quite good enough to clinch the world championship berth. Richard Webb, who was third yesterday, had a time of 2:10 at the first set of trials in Sheffield in March.
"I'm really pleased with the swim and I have done enough to qualify for the World Student Games in Belgrade next month," he said. "But it's just slightly disappointing that I haven't got the second place for the worlds."
Edinburgh University's Louise Pate snatched a bronze in the 100m butterfly and was the top Scot in 1:00.50. Wales' Jemma Lowe won in 58.41 ahead of England's Jessica Sylvester. City of Glasgow's Daniel Scott also took a bronze and was the best Scot with a time of 24.68secs in the 50m butterfly.
In the men's races, Simon Burnett was fastest in yesterday morning's 100m freestyle heats as he attempted to make amends for being disqualified from the 50m in Sheffield.
Michael Jamieson topped the times in the 200m breaststroke, Ian Hulme was fastest in the 50m fly and Jonathan Greig went quickest in the 1500m free at Tollcross Park Leisure Centre.
The full article contains 473 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
