Hickman Bests Parry in 200m Fly, Davies Cracks 15 Minutes in the 1500m at British Champs

CAMBRIDGE, England, Sept. 14. SEVENTEEN year-old David Davies from Cardiff, Wales, came of age today at the British National Short Course Championships in Cambridge, when he won the 1500m freestyle in 14.54.60 breaking the sixteen year old Welsh national record and the British Junior record in so doing. His swim makes him only the sixth British male in history to go under the 15 minute barrier for the 1500m short course.

Davies left in his wake Britain's top two long distance senior swimmers, Adam Faulkner who touched in 15.06.87, and none other than the world silver medallist, the British record holder and six times British short course champion, Graeme Smith, in third, who finished in 15.06.96. This was only the third time Davies had taken part in the 1500m in a major championships.

Davies, Faulkner and Smith were neck and neck for the first 500m but by 600m Davies edged into the lead ahead of Faulkner. By 800m Davies broke the British Junior and Welsh records for that distance in 7:56.93, and by the 1,000m mark Davies was a sizable chunk ahead of the field and lapped twenty year old Alan Bircher from Bath. By 1300 he was almost a 25m length ahead of Smith the world silver medallist. Blissfully unaware of what he was achieving in the sport, Davies commented after the race:

"I just keep working hard, enjoying what I'm doing and it's paying off." Commenting on the British junior swimmer's achievement, John Atkinson, the National Youth Director, was quietly delighted. "It's so good to see the junior swimmers like David starting to break through and challenge the seniors like this."

The only man so far to stop Steve Parry in his quest for yet more gold medals at these national championships was his long time rival, James Hickman. In tonight's final of the 200m butterfly Hickman, the four times world short course champion made sure the title had his name on it. Parry had only just finished winning the semifinal of the 100m backstroke seven minutes before so Hickman was always going to be the fresher swimmer, touching in 1:53.91 to Parry's 1:57.36. The times were good enough for both men to gain selection for december's European Short Course Championships in Germany. Hickman reflected with a smile.

"It was a good swim but it's never comfortable knowing Steve is hanging around on my tail. I know Steve would have been a lot closer if he hadn't just swum. We both just try to keep improving."

Body language can sometimes be so revealing, and in the men's breaststroke events at these Nationals Darren Mew has consistently looked the swimmer to beat. Tonight he added the 50m breaststroke title to the 100m title he won last night touching the wall in 27.77 to James Gibson's 27.96. Winning the 100m means Mew is selected for the Europeans but Gibson, despite doing the qualifying time in the 50m tonight, will not be selected as swimmers must make the grade in the 100m event or they cannot go.

Alison Sheppard from Glasgow took her second title of the championships tonight winning the 100m Individual Medley in 1:01.86 ahead of Alex Savage from Ferndown who was second in 1:04.12. Savage, thirteen years younger than Sheppard is showing great promise, having already won the 200m Individual Medley on Thursday. And another promising young buck won his first national senior title tonight in the 100m freestyle.

Nineteen year old Matthew Bowe from Bath, who spent the summer training on the Gold Coast with the Australian world short course champion Ashley Callus, beat off all opposition in a time of 50.15 ahead of Alex Scotcher of Loughborough, three years his senior in 50.29. The time did not qualify him for the European Championships, but looking at the long term Britain's National Performance director Bill Sweetenham was clearly as pleased as Bowe was.

"I knew I had to take it out agressively because I'd seen Alex Scotcher in the semis and knew I'd have to go much harder. I'll be going back to Australia in January for nineweeks to train with Ashley Callus."

Sarah Price took her second backstroke title tonight in the 50m event touching in 28.69 just ahead of Loughborough's Melanie Marshall in 29.01

"The race wasn't as quick as I wanted but I've done what I needed to do to get to the European Championships and the faster times will come in December."

And Rebecca Cooke notched national title number two in Cambridge in the 400m freestyle to add to her 800m victory last night. Her time of 4:08.58 was certainly good enough to win, ahead of nearest rival Karen Nisbet of Leeds by six seconds.

Tomorrow night sees eleven more finals to finish off these national championships. Surely all eyes will be on the men's 100m backstroke to see if Steve Parry can beat off the defending champion and British record holder Gregor Tait to win his fifth national title of the competition.

–Dee McIntosh, British Swimming

2002 British Short Course Championships
Cambridge

25 meter course

Sept. 12-15, 2002

RESULTS: Day Three: Sept. 14, 2002

Event 509 Men 1500 SC Metre Freestyle
==================================================================
Name Age Team Seed Finals
==================================================================
=== Heat Declared Winner ===

1 David DAVIES 17 Co Cardiff 15:17.90 14:54.60
2 Adam FAULKNER 20 Nova Cent'n 15:13.34 15:06.87
3 Graeme SMITH 26 Co Manch Aq 14:58.00 15:06.96
4 Michael COLE 23 Co Edinburgh 15:49.00 15:19.78
5 Christopher ALDERTON 15 Durham Aqua/Wear 15:37.21 15:35.54
6 Alan BIRCHER 20 Bath Univ 15:26.20 15:45.51
7 Tom HERBERT 17 Co Leeds 15:30.30 15:48.75
8 Carl GROSVENOR 17 Co Coventry 15:51.11 15:53.88
9 Andrew JAMESON 20 StirlingSwim 15:18.97 15:55.44
10 Robert LANG 18 Co Aberdeen 15:44.34 16:05.88
11 John WOOD 16 Berkhamsted 16:13.97 16:39.19

Event 503 Women 400 SC Metre Freestyle
==================================================================
Name Age Team Heats Finals
==================================================================
=== Finals ===

1 Becky COOKE 19 Co Glasgow 4:14.65 4:08.58
2 Karen NISBET 21 Co Leeds 4:18.10 4:14.76
3 Keri – Anne PAYNE 14 Aquabears 4:19.21 4:16.15
4 Rebecca SHAW 17 Co Leeds 4:19.98 4:18.42
5 Laura CHASE 14 Portsmouth N 4:19.97 4:18.49
6 Emma WICKS 14 Co South'ton 4:23.64 4:22.09
7 Katherine WYLD 16 Leatherhead 4:22.44 4:22.70
8 Natalie PRINCE 16 Elmbridge 4:24.28 4:25.66

=== Heats ===

6 Charlotte DALLAS 19 T5 Ldn West 4:20.37
10 Stephanie PROUD 14 Durham Aqua/Ches 4:25.32
11 Sarah JAMES 16 Stockport Mo 4:25.35
12 Louise COX 14 Portsmouth N 4:25.47
13 Holly JAMES 16 Nofio Cymru 4:27.25
14 Lizzy BROWN 14 Portsmouth N 4:29.85
15 Kate RICHARDSON 14 KingstonHull 4:31.07
16 Kelly HAMILL 17 StirlingSwim 4:31.26
17 Dawn JASON 15 Nofio Cymru 4:33.87
18 Stephanie MAUGHAN 14 KingstonHull 4:34.26
— Frankie BEAN 15 Nova Cent'n NS

Event 304 Women 100 SC Metre IM
==================================================================
Name Age Team Semis Finals
==================================================================
=== Finals ===

1 Alison SHEPPARD 29 MBS Swim Team 1:02.34 1:01.86
2 Alex SAVAGE 16 Ferndown 1:04.73 1:04.12
3 Gemma HOWELLS 17 Nofio Cymru 1:05.36 1:04.42
4 Claire WINDEATT 16 KingstonHull 1:04.90 1:04.60
5 Rosie MORAHAN 14 Millfield/Leande 1:05.24 1:05.40
6 Heidi RIDLEY 16 Millfield/Kingst 1:06.10 1:05.65
7 Jo MULLINS 18 Orpington OJ 1:05.47 1:05.66
8 Katy SEXTON 20 Portsmouth N 1:05.21 1:05.72

=== Semi-Finals ===

2 Sarah WHEWELL 22 Co Newcastle 1:03.82
6 Kathryn EVANS 21 Nova Cent'n 1:05.24
11 Nicola CHARLESWORTH 20 Co Cambridge 1:06.72
12 Claire MANTON 15 Brighton 1:06.92
13 Izzi NEWMAN 16 Co Coventry 1:07.41
14 Sarah VANDERLOO 18 Kings Lynn 1:07.51
14 Cari FFLUR- DAVIES 18 Aberystwyth 1:07.51
16 Gemma SPOFFORTH 14 Bognor Regis 1:07.59

Event 508 Men 200 SC Metre Butterfly
==================================================================
Name Age Team Heats Finals
==================================================================
=== Finals ===

1 James HICKMAN 26 Co Leeds 1:58.20 1:53.91
2 Steve PARRY 25 Co Manch Aq 1:58.59 1:57.36
3 Mark LEWIS 19 StirlingSwim 2:01.93 2:00.27
4 Chris JONES 24 Co Edinburgh 2:01.37 2:01.99
5 Darren WIGG 22 Co Newcastle 2:04.05 2:02.19
6 Matthew EDWARDS 16 Kings Lynn 2:03.75 2:02.47
7 Mark GRAVES 19 Bath Univ 2:02.80 2:02.81
8 Paul WEBSTER 18 Nova Cent'n 2:05.17 2:06.04

=== Heats ===

8 Edward SINCLAIR 21 Millfield 2:04.66
10 Dan PILBROW 20 Bath Univ 2:05.71
11 Richard SAVAGE 15 Co Newcastle 2:06.71
12 Ryan TANCOCK 19 Exeter City 2:06.78
13 Jason BERESFORD 19 Co Coventry 2:06.92
14 Christopher THOMPSON 19 Portsmouth N 2:07.00
15 Ben HIGSON 16 StirlingSwim 2:09.35
16 Anthony BENNETT 15 Millfield 2:09.59
17 Alex VINE 17 Wycombe Dist 2:10.09
18 Andrew HUNTER 16 Berkhamsted 2:11.09
19 Martin LEEL 17 Co Aberdeen 2:11.13
20 John WOOD 16 Berkhamsted 2:12.68
21 James KING 15 Nofio Cymru 2:17.33

Event 306 Men 100 SC Metre Freestyle
==================================================================
Name Age Team Semis Finals
==================================================================
=== Finals ===

1 Matthew BOWE 19 Bath Univ 50.81 50.15
2 Alexander SCOTCHER 22 Loughboro Un 49.54 50.29
3 Ross DAVENPORT 18 Bath Univ 50.98 50.89
4 Andrew MANLEY 25 Loughboro Un 50.88 51.00
5 Simon BURNETT 19 Wycombe Dist 51.00 51.03
6 David LEITH 22 Co Edinburgh 50.37 51.06
7 Seth CHAPPELS 20 Ferndown 51.46 51.18
8 Richard SALT 19 Bath Univ 51.53 51.63

=== Semi-Finals ===

9 David O'BRIEN 19 Prescot 52.02
10 Bradley HAY 20 StirlingSwim 52.14
11 Lee FORSTER 19 Bath Univ 52.25
12 Ian THWAITES 22 Bath Univ 52.42
13 Matt KIDD 22 Leatherhead 52.44
14 Edward DENTON 16 Millfield/Windso 52.50
15 Michael STEPHENSON 16 Cockermouth 52.95
— Edward SINCLAIR 21 Millfield DQ

Event 501 Women 50 SC Metre Backstroke
==================================================================
Name Age Team Semis Finals
==================================================================
=== Finals ===

1 Sarah PRICE 23 Barnet Copt 28.97 28.69
2 Melanie MARSHALL 20 Loughboro Un 30.03 29.01
3 Zoe CRAY 28 Ipswich 29.28 29.28
4 Julia BECKETT 16 Winch&Hasle/Winc 29.61 30.14
5 Karen LEE 19 Loughboro Un 30.37 30.15
6 Gemma SPOFFORTH 14 Bognor Regis 30.38 30.38
7 Laura BEECHEY 17 Co Milton K 30.40 30.48
8 Siobhan WALSH 17 Bath Univ/Tewkes 30.39 30.67

=== Semi-Finals ===

9 Stephanie PROUD 14 Durham Aqua/Ches 30.47
10 Gemma SUTHERLAND 15 Co Aberdeen 30.66
11 Eleanor COMER 18 Norwich Peng 30.91
12 Tiffany MCDERMOTT 16 Co Birm'ham/Perr 30.98
13 Chantal CLAVAUD 16 Witney 31.12
14 Laura HOWELL 14 Norwich Peng 31.45
15 Kerrie WASSALL 16 Co Birm'ham/Perr 31.97

Event 502 Men 50 SC Metre Breaststroke
==================================================================
Name Age Team Semis Finals
==================================================================
=== Finals ===

1 Darren MEW 22 Bath Univ 27.99 27.77
2 James GIBSON 22 Loughboro Un 28.58 27.96
3 M WOLFARTH 19 Bath Univ 28.85 28.48
4 Christopher COOK 23 Co Newcastle 28.99 28.68
5 Chris TIDEY 20 Ferndown 29.15 29.01
6 Robert LEE 19 StirlingSwim 29.66 29.54
7 Simon BLYTHIN 20 Loughboro Un 30.17 29.59
8 Greg HAYNES 21 Loughboro Un 29.87 29.79

=== Semi-Finals ===

9 Mark BRANCH 15 N Ayrshire 30.83
10 Ryan BRADNOCK 15 Bath Univ/KEYW 31.40

Name*

Email*

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