Gibson Breaks Commonwealth Record Again as British Trials End

By Martin Petty

MANCHESTER, England, April 15. JAMES GIBSON sensationally resurrected his international swimming career on an Easter weekend that saw him break the Commonwealth 50m breaststroke record a staggering three times in as many races.

The 21-year-old politics student from Loughborough University set a new mark of 27.79 seconds, booking him a place on the British team for the Fukuoka World Championships in July, having been overlooked by the national team for almost a year.

Humble in victory, Gibson – a club level swimmer less than two years ago – attributed much of his success to the swimmers and coaches at Loughborough, "they’re the ones who kept me in the sport", said Gibson. "Without their support, I would have quit – they’ve all been fantastic".

Portsmouth’s Simon Militis became the first British man to swim under 4 mins 20 for the 400 Individual medley, setting a new British record of 4.19.90, also winning the 200m backstroke later in the session. Jamie King of Bath University was another to set a new national record, but like Militis, her time of 1.09.64 in the women’s 100m breaststroke fails to qualify her for an Individual event at the World Championships.

They will join bigger names in the quest for a place on the GB team following a scintillating confrontation in the men’s 200m butterfly final in Manchester. As ever, former world record holder James Hickman and Olympic finalist Stephen Parry were inseparable, entertaining the crowd from beginning to end, but it was the former Florida State University student Parry who touched first in a time of 1.58.42 seconds. Both must qualify at meets in Sheffield, Manchester, or Glasgow over the next nine weeks if they are to join the 21 swimmers already selected by Performance Director Bill Sweetenham.

In other finals, Loughborough's Rosalind Brett had a big day, first winning the 100m free in 55.78, then taking the 50m fly in 27.53. Mark Foster, world short course record-holder, took the men's 50m free in an unexceptionaal 22.62.

Sarah Price touched first in the 50m back, her 29.57 a bit shy of the national record of 29.35 she set in semis.

Rebecca Cooke notched her third distance win of the meet, once again without being pushed. The 18 year-old from Reading, won the 400m freestyle, stopping the clock in 4:13.73, about four seconds ahead of her nearest challenger.

Finally, veteran Graeme Smith had no trouble winning the men's 1500m free, but his pedestrian 15:27.02 was not nearly fast enough to earn a trip to Japan. Smith was maintaining a sub-15:15 pace through the first 700 metres, but without significant opposition, he eased up in the second half of the race.

BRITISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP and
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TRIALS

Manchester, England

DAY SIX: April 15, 2001

50 meter pool

RESULTS

Final MENS 400 Metres INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY
Place Name YoB Club Time
1. Simon MILITIS (77) Portsmouth N 4:19.90 GBR 27.93 59.34 1:31.95 2:03.99 2:40.93 3:19.04 3:50.32
2. James GODDARD (83) Stockport Mo 4:23.82
28.12 59.84 1:33.98 2:07.43 2:44.68 3:22.72 3:54.74
3. Adrian TURNER (77) Co Salford 4:24.92
27.62 59.30 1:34.30 2:08.16 2:45.63 3:23.43 3:54.87
4. Robin FRANCIS (82) Bath Univ 4:28.18
28.14 1:00.22 1:36.02 2:11.43 2:49.16 3:27.41 3:58.50
5. Darren WIGG (80) Co Newcastle 4:28.30
27.41 58.85 1:34.96 2:09.72 2:46.81 3:24.88 3:56.85
6. Michael COLE (78) Co Edinburgh 4:31.76
28.43 1:01.35 1:35.62 2:10.07 2:48.65 3:27.98 4:00.77
7. Christopher THOMPSON (83) Portsm'th 4:32.15
28.52 1:01.44 1:36.98 2:11.11 2:50.07 3:29.56 4:01.51
8. Richard BRYANT (83) Millfield 4:34.10
29.04 1:01.66 1:36.22 2:10.66 2:52.19 3:34.68 4:04.79

GBR – British Record

Final WOMENS 100 Metres FREESTYLE
Place Name YoB Club Time
1. Rosalind BRETT (79) Loughboro Un 55.78 27.12
2. Karen PICKERING (71) Ipswich 56.11 27.42
3. Alison SHEPPARD (72) Milngavie &b 56.19 27.11
4. Melanie MARSHALL (82) Loughboro Un 56.24 27.18
5. Janine BELTON (79) Loughboro Un 56.74 27.47
6. Catrin DAVIES (79) Nova Cent'n 57.41 27.60
6. Kathryn EVANS (81) Nova Cent'n 57.41 27.92
Karen LEGG (78) Ferndown DQ-false start

Final MENS 50 Metres FREESTYLE
Place Name YoB Club Time
1. Mark FOSTER (70) Bath Univ 22.62
2. Matthew KIDD (79) Leatherhead 23.03
3. Sion BRINN (73) Bath Univ 23.33
4. Alexander SCOTCHER (80) Loughboro 23.40
5. Paul BELK (77) Bath Univ 23.48
6. Kenny CLARK (80) Eastkilbride 23.75
7. Christopher COZENS (82) LCLM/COBW 23.78
8. Anthony HOWARD (79) Bolton Metro 23.79

Final WOMENS 50 Metres BUTTERFLY
Place Name YoB Club Time
1. Rosalind BRETT (79) Loughboro Un 27.53
2. Nicola JACKSON (84) DERE/RICE 27.73
3. Jenna COYNE (81) Stockport Mo 28.22
4. Alexa WHITE (79) Crawley 28.29
4. Kerry MARTIN (75) Stirling 28.29
6. Terri DUNNING (85) Co Birm'ham 28.62
7. Chloe WINTER (87) Haslemere 28.72
8. Penny PORTER (78) LCLM/COBW 29.14

Final MENS 50 Metres BREASTSTROKE
Place Name YoB Club Time
1. James GIBSON (80) LCLM/WITS 27.79 GBR/COMR/WC
2. Darren MEW (79) Bath Univ 28.13
3. Gavin BRETTELL (76) Co Birm'ham 28.66
4. Chris COOK (79) Co Newcastle 29.19
5. David LEITH (80) Co Edinburgh 29.73
6. Danny ROBERTS (81) WIMN/WIRN 29.95
7. Chris TIDEY (82) Bath Univ 30.07
8. Mark WOLFARTH (82) Co Liverpool 30.46

GBR – British Record
COMR – Commonwealth Record
WC – World Championship Qualifying Time

Final WOMENS 100m.BREASTSTROKE
Place Name YoB Club Time
1. Jaime KING (76) Bath Univ 1:09.64 GBR 33.08
2. Kirsty BALFOUR (84) Co Edinburgh 1:10.84 33.47
3. Zoe BAKER (76) Co Sheffield 1:11.02 33.14
3. Heidi EARP (80) Nova Cent'n 1:11.02 33.71
5. Rachel GENNER (82) Co Coventry 1:12.73 34.45
6. Charlotte EVANS (84) Bournem'th D 1:12.83 34.48
7. Emma DUTTON (82) Co Leeds 1:12.90 34.46
8. Kate HAYWOOD (87) Lincoln Vulc 1:15.34 34.68

GBR – British Record

Final MENS 200 Metres BUTTERFLY
Place Name YoB Club Time
1. Stephen PARRY (77) Stockport Mo 1:58.42
26.21 55.80 1:26.71
2. James HICKMAN (76) Co Leeds 1:58.76
26.27 55.89 1:26.80
3. Robert GREENWOOD (79) Bolton Metro 2:01.76
26.49 56.38 1:28.47
4. Richard HAMPSON (81) WWAN/TYLN 2:03.31
27.45 58.02 1:30.64
5. Mark LEWIS (83) Stirling 2:04.17
28.02 59.62 1:31.35
6. David BENNETT (81) PORS/BEKS 2:04.25
27.12 58.31 1:30.89
7. Todd COOPER (83) Stirling 2:04.66
27.76 59.86 1:32.15
8. Chris JONES (78) Co Edinburgh 2:05.80
26.95 57.67 1:30.53

Final WOMENS 50 Metres BACKSTROKE
Place Name YoB Club Time
1. Sarah PRICE (79) Barnet Copt 29.57
2. Katy SEXTON (82) Portsmouth N 29.86
3. Melanie MARSHALL (82) Loughboro Un 29.98
4. Rosy CORNISH (83) First Aqua 30.41
5. Zoe CRAY (74) Ipswich 30.54
6. Julie FORT (82) Co Newcastle 30.59
7. Louise COULL (84) Ren 96 30.75
8. Sarah RICKWOOD (84) Bo Kirklees 30.89

Final MENS 200 Metres BACKSTROKE
Place Name YoB Club Time
1. Simon MILITIS (77) Portsmouth N 2:02.73
29.64 1:01.15 1:32.95
2. Gregor TAIT (79) Co Edinburgh 2:02.85
29.80 1:00.99 1:32.32
3. Adam RUCKWOOD (74) Co Birm'ham 2:03.09
29.42 1:01.23 1:32.97
4. David O'BRIEN (83) Prescot 2:03.33
29.71 1:01.76 1:32.82
5. James GODDARD (83) Stockport Mo 2:05.11
30.18 1:02.27 1:33.99
6. David CARRY (80) Aberdeen 2:05.50
29.56 1:01.18 1:33.32
7. Dan SMITH (79) Loughboro Un 2:06.29
29.60 1:01.44 1:33.07
8. Ross HUGHES (84) BRES/EESS 2:06.96
30.09 1:02.19 1:35.08

Final WOMENS 400 Metres FREESTYLE
Place Name YoB Club Time
1. Rebecca COOKE (83) Reading 4:13.73
29.96 1:01.38 1:33.07 2:05.22 2:37.32 3:09.75 3:42.05
2. Sarah COLLINGS (78) Bath Univ 4:17.45
30.39 1:02.38 1:34.84 2:07.31 2:39.80 3:12.87 3:45.36
3. Stacey HOULDSWORTH (81) ROCN/GHON 4:17.71
29.77 1:01.49 1:34.07 2:06.73 2:39.72 3:13.00 3:46.24
4. Margaretha PEDDER (80) Portsm'th N 4:18.18
30.23 1:02.08 1:34.75 2:07.65 2:40.68 3:13.90 3:46.44
5. Holly FOX (84) Reading 4:19.18
30.11 1:02.19 1:34.92 2:08.00 2:41.28 3:14.49 3:47.28
6. Caroline SAXBY (83) Wear Valley 4:19.50
30.12 1:02.33 1:35.03 2:07.96 2:40.95 3:14.12 3:47.17
7. Georgina LEE (81) Camphill Ed 4:20.73
29.45 1:01.32 1:34.29 2:07.70 2:41.56 3:15.51 3:48.94
8. Karen LEGG (78) Ferndown 4:22.77
29.60 1:01.73 1:34.64 2:07.84 2:41.35 3:15.09 3:49.05

Final MENS 1500 Metres FREESTYLE
Place Name YoB Club Time
1. Graeme SMITH (76) Stockport Mo 15:27.02
58.16 1:58.08 2:58.62 3:59.77 5:01.05 6:02.73 7:04.32
8:06.79 9:09.38 10:11.66 11:14.41 12:17.84 13:21.63 14:25.25
2. Adam FAULKNER (81) Nova Cent'n 15:34.36
3. Andrew JAMESON (81) Co Aberdeen 15:34.62
4. Stuart TREES (81) Co Leeds 15:45.55
5. Alan BIRCHER (81) BAUW/WSUM 15:52.70
6. Tom HERBERT (85) Co Leeds 16:08.37
7. Nick BAKER (82) Norwich Peng 16:14.34
8. Ross HUGHES (84) BRES/EESS 16:17.07

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