British Olympic Trials, Day 3: Mel Marshall Lowers National Record for 200m Free to World-Leading 1:57.51

By Craig Lord

SHEFFIELD, England, April 9. MELANIE Marshall established herself as an Olympic medal hope over 200 metres freestyle with a British record of 1:57.51, good enough to have won the ultimate crown at any time in the history of the Games.

Answering her favourite question – "What if all your fears and dreams
existed in the same place – would you still go there?" – Marshall raced
0.03sec inside world record pace down the first of four lengths and was
just 0.02sec outside, in 56.29sec, at the half-way mark, before fading
fractionally from the speed at which Germany's Franziska van Almsick swam
towards a global best of 1:56.64 in 2002. She touched the wall just 0.04 seconds outside the Commonwealth record held by Susie O'Neill, Olympic champion and retired Australian.

Van Almsick splits: 27.14; 56.27; 1:26.33; 1:56.64
O'Neill splits: 27.87; 57.74; 1:27.65; 1:57.47
Marshall splits: 27.11; 56.29; 1:26.76; 1:57.51

Bill Sweetenham, a national performance director who is not easily
impressed, said: "Coach Ben Titley has done an outstanding job, a fabulous
job with her but I think I would have liked to have seen 57 seconds (for the) first 100 (metres). She paid too big a price for that early enthusiasm and excitement. She's coming on at a rate of knots. She went out way too quick but I think it's only a matter of time before she's going to close down on that world record."

At the time Van Almsick was winning the European title in world record
time in Berlin, Marshall was little more than a relay racer at the
Commonwealth Games in Manchester who refused to contemplate distances over
100 metres. Now she is the eighth fastest ever on a ranking list that
includes three swimmers banned for drugs and is the third fastest among
swimmers still racing, American Lindsay Benko having led the US relay to
the world title with an opening 1:57.41 second effort in the 4×200 metres
relay last year.

Sweetenham said: "I think there's so much more left in Marshall that we
haven't seen, provided she keeps the same attitude." Titley, just 27, said
he had no doubt that Marshall, 22, had what it would take to come good in
Athens after embracing "huge changes" – including a doubling of training to
at least 60km a week and weights training with specialist Bob Smith – in
her approach to the sport since 2002. "The thing that's changed the most is
Melanie Marshall's outlook…her willingness to adapt to new things and to
push herself to levels she was scared of before," said Titley.

From the unlikely platform of never having raced over 200 metres in
international waters in 2002, Marshall showed promise with a 1:59.91 best time last year. After a hugely successful short-course winter in which
she set British records over 200 and 400 metres freestyle, Marshall lowered
the British long-course standard to 1:58.51 on January 24.

In the semi-final here in Sheffield, the time dropped to 1:57.85, while tonight's effort was precisely what Marshall had set as her target time at these trials. Delighted at making her first Olympic Games, she was
business-like about her performance: "I've come here and done that and the
next stage is the Olympic Games." And what would they bring? "We'll have to
wait and see," she said with a smile.

On the third day of five of trials in Sheffield Gregor Tait, of Edinburgh, established a Commonwealth record of 1:57.42, just 0.28sec ahead of Commonwealth champion James Goddard, of Stockport, over 200 metres
backstroke. Both men will go to Athens with medals in mind.

In the 200 metres breaststroke, Kirsty Balfour, of Edinburgh, could not
repeat the 2min 27.88sec British record she established in the semi-finals
and her winning 2mins 28.54 was 0.33sec outside the time she needed to
qualify for Athens.

Goddard's Stockport teammate, Adrian Turner, established the 12th
British record of the trials, in 2:01.58 in the semi-final of the 200
metres medley.

Great Britain Olympic Trials
Ponds Forge
Sheffield, England, UK

April 7 – 11, 2004

50 meter pool

RESULTS
Day Three: April 9, 2004

Event 17 Men 200 LC Metre Backstroke
==================================================================
Name Age Team Semis Finals
==================================================================
=== Finals ===

1 Gregor Tait 25 CO Edinburgh 1:59.11 1:57.42*
2 James Goddard 21 Stockport MO 1:58.58 1:57.70
3 Simon Birch 19 Stockport MO 2:05.70 2:04.65
4 Scott Houston 17 Ren 96 2:05.21 2:05.05
5 Robert Lang 20 CO Edinburgh 2:04.58 2:05.08
6 Ian Powell 19 Millfield 2:05.80 2:05.58
7 Nathan Oxford 21 Nova Cent'n 2:05.47 2:05.69
8 Stephen Mellor 19 Stockport MO 2:05.08 2:05.90

=== Semi-Finals ===

3 Nick Neckles 26 Stirlingswim 2:03.22
10 Christopher Thompson 21 Portsmouth N 2:06.52
11 Ben Ward 20 Loughboro UN 2:06.61
12 Donal O'Neill 24 Loughboro UN 2:07.01
13 Jamie Smithers 19 T5 Ldn West 2:07.66
14 Joel Roberts 19 CO Edinburgh 2:08.33
15 Daniel Coombs 16 Bolton Metro 2:08.49
16 Ross Hughes 20 Stirlingswim 2:09.09

Event 18 Women 200 LC Metre Freestyle
==================================================================
Name Age Team Semis Finals
==================================================================
=== Finals ===

1 Melanie Marshall 22 Loughboro UN 1:57.85* 1:57.51*
2 Georgina Lee 23 Camphill Ed 2:00.96 2:00.26
3 Joanne Jackson 18 Durham Aqua 2:01.01 2:00.68
4 Caitlin McCLATCHEY 19 Northampton 2:00.98 2:00.94
5 Karen Legg 26 Ferndown 2:00.94 2:01.08
6 Janine Belton 25 Loughboro UN 2:01.24 2:01.50
7 Karen Pickering 33 Ipswich 2:01.49 2:02.06
8 Julia Beckett 18 Winchester 2:01.56 2:02.27

=== Semi-Finals ===

9 Karen Nisbet 23 CO Leeds 2:02.42
10 Lorna Tonks 16 Bath Univ 2:03.20
11 Kate Richardson 17 Kingstonhull 2:03.38
12 Claire Windeatt 19 Kingstonhull 2:03.57
13 Katherine Wyld 18 Leatherhead 2:03.81
14 Stephanie Hill 18 Nova Cent'n 2:04.07
15 Victoria Cook 19 Hatfield 2:04.49
16 Danielle Berry 16 Durham Aqua 2:04.83

Event 19 Women 200 LC Metre Breaststroke
==================================================================
Name Age Team Semis Finals
==================================================================
=== Finals ===

1 Kirsty Balfour 20 CO Edinburgh 2:27.88* 2:28.54
2 Amy Konowalik 18 Nova Cent'n 2:31.59 2:30.57
3 Stacey Tadd 15 Bath Univ 2:34.00 2:32.26
4 Rikki Jackson 18 Portsmouth N 2:34.87 2:35.09
5 Lauren Greenshields 20 CO Edinburgh 2:34.31 2:35.15
6 Rachael Wilson 16 Gates & Wick 2:33.71 2:35.50
7 Rebecca Hillis 14 Ren 96 2:36.03 2:35.63
8 Debbie Hall 16 Rotherham MO 2:35.75 2:38.19

=== Semi-Finals ===

3 Emma Robinson 26 Loughboro UN 2:32.38
9 Kate Haywood 17 Loughboro UN 2:35.82
11 Anna Strickland 17 Leatherhead 2:36.40
12 Kerry Buchan 17 South Aberde 2:37.33
13 Laura Wood 21 Swim Swansea 2:37.74
14 Grace Callaghan 16 CO Coventry 2:37.87
15 Michelle Kiff 21 Loughboro UN 2:38.31
16 Fiona Andrews 15 Ren 96 2:40.81

Event 24 Men 200 LC Metre Freestyle
==================================================================
Name Age Team Heats Semis
==================================================================
=== Semis ===

1 Ross Davenport 20 Bath Univ 1:51.05 1:49.66
2 Simon Burnett 21 Wycombe Dist 1:51.42 1:50.11
3 Edward Sinclair 24 Millfield 1:50.51 1:50.15
4 Gavin Meadows 27 CO Leeds 1:50.66 1:50.37
5 David O'Brien 21 Stirlingswim 1:50.61 1:50.55
6 David Carry 23 Aberdeen Dol 1:50.60 1:50.59
7 Dean Milwain 18 CO Derby 1:51.98 1:51.33
8 Adam Faulkner 23 Nova Cent'n 1:52.01 1:51.40
—————————————————————–
9 Paul Webster 20 Nova Cent'n 1:52.68 1:51.76
10 Andrew Thirlwell 19 CO Newcastle 1:53.14 1:52.07
—————————————————————–
11 Lewis Owens 17 Co Cant'Bury 1:53.25 1:52.59
12 Thomas Willdridge 20 Nova Cent'n 1:53.58 1:52.85
13 Andrew Hunter 18 Millfield 1:52.28 1:53.12
14 Lee Forster 21 Bath Univ 1:53.20 1:53.26
15 Jamie Smithers 19 T5 Ldn West 1:53.73 1:53.77
16 Martin Webster 19 CO Leeds 1:53.18 1:53.93

=== Heats ===

11 Robin Francis 22 Bath Univ 1:52.80
18 Liam Wardley 18 Co Cambridge 1:53.93
19 James Clarke 16 Millfield 1:54.06
20 Craig Houston 19 Stirlingswim 1:54.21
21 Craig Gibbons 19 Maxwell 1:54.24
22 Richard Salt 21 Bath Univ 1:54.42
23 Quentin Lahana 22 Loughboro UN 1:54.50
24 James Batley 17 Millfield 1:54.97
25 David Waslin 16 Kingstonhull 1:55.03
26 Matthew Edwards 18 Loughboro UN 1:55.13
27 Jon Bone 21 Loughboro UN 1:55.15
28 Iain MacMILLAN 18 CO Edinburgh 1:55.20
29 Martin Handley 16 Bo Burnley 1:55.43
30 Christopher Alderton 17 Durham Aqua 1:55.45
31 Robbie Renwick 16 Co Aberdeen 1:55.46
32 Ross Hughes 20 Stirlingswim 1:55.51
33 Edward Denton 18 Millfield 1:55.55
34 Alexander Scotcher 24 Loughboro UN 1:55.81
35 David Bennett 23 Beckenham 1:55.93
36 Philip John 18 Swim Swansea 1:56.20
37 Taylor Wamberg 17 Ren 96 1:56.40
38 Scott Porteous 18 Co Aberdeen 1:56.43
39 Matthew Perkins 20 Loughboro UN 1:56.46
40 Ranald Falconer 17 Co Aberdeen 1:57.17
41 James Tebbett 16 Portsmouth N 1:57.32
42 Daniel Coombs 16 Bolton Metro 1:58.40
43 Roland Moore-Colyer 18 Swim Swansea 1:59.25
44 Grant Turner 15 TigersharksW 1:59.57
45 Sean Downey 16 Luton 1:59.87
46 John Howells 16 Co Cardiff 2:00.01
— Carl Grosvenor 19 CO Coventry NS

Event 25 Women 200 LC Metre IM
==================================================================
Name Age Team Heats Semis
==================================================================
=== Semis ===

1 Lorna Tonks 16 Bath Univ 2:18.59 2:17.17
2 Sophie Caul 18 CO Coventry 2:19.58 2:17.49
3 Sarah Heyes 21 CO Manch AQ 2:21.74 2:19.04
4 Natalie Effemey 20 Loughboro UN 2:21.44 2:19.07
5 Alex Savage 19 Ferndown 2:20.97 2:19.13
6 Elizabeth Simmonds 13 Lincoln Vulc 2:21.66 2:19.71
7 Jessica Sylvester 17 Newcastle ST 2:21.30 2:20.12
8 Joanne Mullins 21 Loughboro UN 2:22.50 2:20.24
—————————————————————–
9 Nicola Charlesworth 22 Hart 2:21.53 2:20.62
10 Julie Gould 15 Guildford CT 2:22.81 2:20.80
—————————————————————–
11 Laura Chase 17 Portsmouth N 2:22.11 2:21.74
12 Samantha Williams 19 CO Coventry 2:24.32 2:23.01
12 Stacey Tadd 15 Bath Univ 2:21.51 2:23.01
14 Cari Davies 20 Nova Cent'n 2:21.99 2:23.15
15 Francesca Halsall 14 CO Liverpool 2:23.18 2:23.57
16 Mackenzie Howe 18 Co Cardiff 2:22.94 2:25.64

=== Heats ===

17 Gemma Howells 20 Co Cardiff 2:24.69
18 Katie Towers 16 Amersham 2:24.77
19 Georgia Holderness 17 Millfield 2:25.12
20 Lisa How 21 Wigan Wasps 2:25.55
21 Ellen Gandy 13 Beckenham 2:25.78
21 Jessica Dickons 14 BO Stockton 2:25.78
23 Jemma Lowe 14 BO Stockton 2:26.22
24 Lauren Cogdale 16 Romford Town 2:26.36
25 Aileen Stirling 14 CO Glasgow 2:26.59
26 Grace Francis 14 Chelmsford 2:26.95
27 Natalie Durant 14 T5 Ldn West 2:26.96
28 Elspeth Taylor 15 Bath Univ 2:27.47
29 Cara Moody 16 Co Birm'Ham 2:28.02
30 Emma Harrison 14 Warrender 2:28.40
31 Emily Cryan 13 CO Leeds 2:29.07
32 Claire Manton 17 Brighton 2:29.78
33 Rosy Murray 14 Portsmouth N 2:30.35
34 Katie Raybould 14 Stafford Apex 2:30.49
35 Jessica Lambson 14 Portsmouth N 2:31.25
— Katy Sexton 22 Portsmouth N NS

Event 26 Men 200 LC Metre IM
==================================================================
Name Age Team Heats Semis
==================================================================
=== Semis ===

1 Adrian Turner 27 Stockport MO 2:06.01 2:01.58
2 Euan Dale 19 Millfield 2:05.40 2:04.11
3 Robin Francis 22 Bath Univ 2:04.39 2:04.22
4 Christopher Thompson 21 Portsmouth N 2:06.18 2:05.45
5 Neil Ashcroft 21 CO Coventry 2:07.05 2:05.91
6 Simon Birch 19 Stockport MO 2:06.58 2:06.76
7 Alex Vine 19 Wycombe Dist 2:07.68 2:06.87
8 Ben Ward 20 Loughboro UN 2:07.92 2:07.42
—————————————————————–
9 Liam Wardley 18 Co Cambridge 2:07.02 2:07.66
10 Sam Blunt 19 Loughboro UN 2:09.08 2:08.00
—————————————————————–
11 David Bartlett 20 Bath Univ 2:08.10 2:08.01
12 Joseph Roebuck 19 Loughboro UN 2:08.25 2:08.13
13 Joe Gannon 21 CO Salford 2:08.68 2:08.16
14 David Waslin 16 Kingstonhull 2:09.23 2:08.94
15 Michael Rock 17 CO Liverpool 2:08.74 2:09.00
16 Max Underhay 17 Portsmouth N 2:09.02 2:09.20

=== Heats ===

17 Stuart Bloor 20 Stirlingswim 2:09.42
18 Neil Van Den Broek 25 Swim Swansea 2:09.54
19 Martin Handley 16 Bo Burnley 2:10.54
20 Jack Lay 18 CO Leicester 2:10.57
21 Tom Harnett 22 Beckenham 2:10.65
22 Mark McKENNA 16 CO Manch AQ 2:10.93
23 Lewis Smith 16 Warrender 2:11.45
24 Daniel Coombs 16 Bolton Metro 2:11.88
25 Thomas Haffield 16 Co Cardiff 2:12.33
26 Michael Donohoe 18 IREX 2:12.41
27 Jack Cockerton 16 Kelly Coll 2:13.02
28 Jonathan Cook 15 Nova Cent'n 2:13.18
29 Billy Purnell 16 Warrender 2:13.76
30 James Kirton 19 CO Sheffield 2:14.15
31 James Crawford 16 Wycombe Dist 2:15.01
32 Adrian O'Neill 15 Co Aberdeen 2:15.03
33 Christopher Chasser 16 South Aberde 2:15.70
34 Stuart Houston 15 Ren 96 2:17.45
35 John Molyneaux 16 West Wight 2:18.81
— Edward Downes 17 Maxwell DQ
— Matthew Bowe 21 Bath Univ NS
— Ian Hulme 20 Loughboro UN NS

Event 29 Women 800 LC Metre Freestyle
==================================================================
Name Age Team Seed Heats
==================================================================
=== Heats ===

1 Rebecca Cooke 21 CO Glasgow 8:28.45 8:37.63
2 Kerri-Anne Payne 17 Stockport MO 8:42.04 8:44.44
3 Nathalie Brown 21 BO Southend 8:48.68 8:48.31
4 Emma Wicks 16 Portsmouth N 9:03.69 8:55.36
5 Rebecca Adlington 15 Nova Cent'n 8:56.61 8:55.76
6 Caroline Saxby 21 Wear Valley 8:44.52 8:58.66
7 Cassandra Patten 17 Plymouth Lea 9:02.66 9:00.83
8 Philippa Davies 20 Hereford 9:00.48 9:01.15
—————————————————————–
9 Natalie Prince 18 Elmbridge 9:00.27 9:01.26
10 Jordon Tomlinson 14 Lincoln Vulc 9:09.05 9:02.18
—————————————————————–
11 Dawn Jason 17 West Suffolk 9:00.82 9:06.98
12 Jessica Learmonth 16 CO Leeds 9:02.32 9:08.42
13 Amy Park 16 Kingstonhull 9:02.92 9:08.67
14 Ceri Unwin 13 Hatfield 9:22.29 9:10.03
15 Emma Gage 15 Stockport MO 9:08.25 9:11.58
16 Ashley Harris 15 Barnet Copthall 9:04.72 9:11.99
17 Rosy Murray 14 Portsmouth N 9:19.30 9:16.23
18 Emily Rashleigh 14 Bolton Metro 9:13.90 9:16.65
19 Lauren Hayden 16 CO Leeds 9:03.02 9:19.84
20 Jazmin Carlin 14 TigersharksW 9:29.84 9:21.88
21 Katie Raybould 14 Stafford Apex 9:31.00 9:22.68
22 Emma Harrison 14 Warrender 9:28.50 9:23.01
23 Abby Johnson 14 Durham Aqua 9:29.06 9:25.59
24 Laura Wood 14 Stafford Apex 9:30.67 9:43.22

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x