Last-Chance Qualifier on the Horizon for British Swimming

SWANSEA, Wales, May 31. ALTHOUGH 10 athletes have already qualified for the World Championships in Montreal, British Swimming will look to add a few more names when it holds a last-chance qualifier from June 17-19.

Under the direction of Bill Sweetenham, the National Performance Director, Great Britain has installed some of the toughest qualifying standards in the world. In order to make the World Championship team in an Olympic event, athletes must equal or better the 10th-fastest time in the world. In non-Olympic events, athletes must match a top-six mark.

Over the weekend, the Brits saw a number of strong swims at the Speedo Grand Challenge in Irvine, Calif. Among the top performers was Melanie Marshall, who won the 200 freestyle (1:58.60) and tied for second in the 100 free (55.21). Marshall is still looking for qualifying times and must produce at the last-chance competition.

David Davies, already qualified in the 1500 free, will look to add a qualifying time in the 400 free. Davies won Olympic bronze in Athens last summer in the metric mile, finishing behind Australia’s Grant Hackett and the United States’ Larsen Jensen.

James Gibson and Katy Sexton will also be in action. At the 2003 World Champs in Barcelona, Gibson won gold in the 50 breast and claimed bronze in the 100 breast. As for Sexton, she took gold in the 200 back and added bronze in the 100 back.

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