Hannah Miley Ends Long Week At British Nationals With World No. 1 In 400 IM

Hannah Miley
Photo Courtesy: Ian MacNicol

Great Britain’s best swimmers did their best to top the electric atmosphere from Friday’s world record by Adam Peaty in the 100 breast tonight to close out the British nationals. With British Swimming setting very tough times in order to automatically qualify for the world championships, athletes needed to be at or near their best in order to earn a trip to Kazan this summer.

Hannah Miley tonight nearly beat the 4:31.76 she swam last summer to win the 400 IM at the Commonwealth Games, posting a 4:32.16. Miley had raced in many events throughout the meet, and finally landed her spot on the world championship team by eclipsing the standard of 4:33.01 set by British Swimming. That standard is equal to the lifetime best for Aimee Willmott, who was second to Miley at Commonwealths last summer. Willmott was just off her best, finishing second tonight with a 4:33.66. Great Britain is now first and second in the world rankings in the event so far this year, bumping Katinka Hosszu’s 4:36.00 from Thursday at the Arena Pro Swim Series off the top of the mountain. With Willmott not making the automatic cut, she’ll wait to see if Great Britain puts her on the world championship roster to give Team GB a 1-2 punch in Kazan.

Elizabeth Simmonds also beat the automatic qualifying time in the 200 backstroke with a winning time of 2:08.38. Simmonds, who was fourth in the 2012 Olympics in the event, is fourth in the world behind three swims from the Australian nationals a couple of weeks ago. Simmonds had no peer in the event, beating the 2:11.78 by runner-up Georgia Hohmann and the 2:12.36 by third-place finisher Jessica Fullalove.

Jazz Carlin used her endurance talents to run down Siobhan-Marie O’Connor in the final length of the women’s 200 freestyle. O’Connor split 56.48 at the halfway mark compared to 57.94 for Carlin, who won with a 1:56.88. Though it didn’t beat the automatic cut of 1:55.93, it’s good enough for eighth in the world. O’Connor’s 1:57.24 puts her 13th in the world. Eleanor Faulkner was third with a 1:58.29 while Rebecca Turner took fourth with a 1:58.59 to give Great Britain four times to consider for relay purposes at worlds.

Three men went under 1:47 in the 200 free final to boost up those relay chances. James Guy led the way with a 1:46.32, ahead of the 1:46.64 by Robbie Renwick and the 1:46.65 by Calum Jarvis. That puts all three of them in the top 10 globally and a formidable force in the 800 free relay for worlds. Nicholas Grainger rounded out the top four with a 1:47.10, which is 14th in the world standings.

Great Britain has some work to do in order to be competitive on the international level in the men’s 100 butterfly, as first-time national champion Thomas Laxton posted a 52.40. That’s just behind the 52.38 that Michael Phelps swam in Mesa to win at the Arena Pro Swim Series to rank Phelps 20th in the world. That presents a weakness in Great Britain’s 400 medley relay, which has Chris Walker-Hebborn, Adam Peaty and Calum Jarvis as strong legs. Finishing second tonight was Braxston Timm with a 52.72, while Adam Barrett took third with a 52.74.

2015 British Long Course Nationals, Day 5 – Results

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