Graeme Smith Pops a 15:03 1500m at British Super Grand Prix

MANCHESTER, England, June 2. AT the British Super Grand Prix, veteran Scots freestyler Graeme Smith showed he's still got the competitive fires burning brightly as he splashed to a 15:03.15 mile win — his fastest time since his pr-NR 15:02.48 bronze-medal winning performance at Atlanta.

The 25-year-old distance star also clocked a pr-NR in the 800 en route to his fast 1500 (7:59.10) and his swims qualified him for Britain's World Championship squad.

Rather dispirited after not making the British Olympic squad last year, Smith said he was "ready to call it a day" had he not swam well here but now he's a new man.

"We've had some problems with our pool earlier this spring but for the past four or five weeks we've been able to train long course so I'm very pleased with my effort. I know he (Australia's Grant Hackett, ranked No. 1 globally and defending Olympic champ) will be tough as will perhaps Italy's Brembilla and maybe the Yanks. But I've been putting in the work and it's beginning to pay off," Smith said.

He added that he could see his splits on the giant scoreboard — Manchester's new pool will serve as venue for next summer's Commonwealth Games — and he was hoping to break his record. But he faltered a bit on his final 100 and came up .67 short of the mark, more incentive perhaps to continue training hard and go under 15:00.0 at Fukuoka.

— Bill Bell

British Super Grand Prix
Manchester, England

DAY TWO: June 2, 2001

Final WOMENS 200 Metres INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY
Place Name YoB Club Time 50 100 150
1. Kathryn EVANS (81) Nova Cent'n 2:17.78
30.40 1:04.90 1:46.55
2. Sarah WHEWELL (80) Co Newcastle 2:18.50
30.05 1:05.60 1:46.28
3. Holly FOX (84) Reading 2:19.14
30.86 1:06.20 1:47.67
4. Julie FORT (82) Co Newcastle 2:19.36
30.30 1:04.70 1:47.43

Final MENS 200 Metres INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY
Place Name YoB Club Time 50 100 150
1. James GODDARD (83) Stockport Mo 2:04.91
27.65 59.54 1:35.63
2. David CARRY (81) Aberdeen 2:06.08
27.59 59.34 1:36.67
3. Michael COLE (78) Co Edinburgh 2:06.16
28.30 1:00.17 1:36.96
4. Robin FRANCIS (82) Bath Univ 2:07.27
27.77 1:00.58 1:37.47
5. Christopher HANSEN (81) NORWAY 2:11.47
28.20 1:03.26 1:40.47

Final WOMENS 800 Metres FREESTYLE
Place Name YoB Club Time 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
1. Holly FOX (84) Reading 8:51.25
1:02.58 2:08.67 3:15.67 4:23.23 5:30.42 6:37.86 7:45.00
2. Sarah COLLINGS (78) Bath Univ 8:54.66
1:02.29 2:08.49 3:15.57 4:23.36 5:31.29 6:38.86 7:47.14
3. Laura CHASE (87) Portsmouth N 8:57.26
1:04.10 2:12.62 3:20.93 4:29.17 5:36.97 6:44.67 7:52.28
4. Bryony FOX (88) Reading 8:57.51
1:04.62 2:12.52 3:20.65 4:28.88 5:36.64 6:44.37 7:52.07

Final MENS 1500 Metres FREESTYLE
Place Name YoB Club Time 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400
1. Graeme SMITH (76) Stockport Mo 15:03.15
57.22 1:57.44 2:57.61 3:58.09
4:58.31 5:58.62 6:59.04 7:58.84 National Record
8:59.30 10:00.02 11:00.79 12:01.82
13:03.00 14:04.35
2. Adam FAULKNER (81) Nova Cent'n 15:38.13
57.97 1:58.88 3:00.46 4:02.19
5:04.41 6:06.95 7:10.10 8:13.52
9:17.22 10:20.81 11:24.80 12:28.71
13:32.64 14:36.02
3. Alan BIRCHER (81) Bath Univ 15:44.15
1:00.43 2:02.23 3:04.29 4:06.68
5:08.34 6:10.79 7:13.79 8:17.51
9:21.38 10:25.39 11:29.68 12:34.04
13:38.42 14:42.99
4. Greg ORPHANIDES (78) Portsmouth N 16:10.48
1:01.60 2:05.67 3:10.77 4:16.46
5:21.33 6:26.10 7:31.02 8:36.00
9:41.53 10:46.77 11:52.02 12:57.27
14:02.57 15:07.39

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