Sheppard Posts Commonwealth Record at British Nationals, World Champs Trials

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, April 11. SCOTTISH "lassie" Alison Sheppard broke her own Commonwealth-Scottish-British record in the 50 freestyle here this evening with a world-leading 25.07 on the second day of the British Championships-World Championship Trials.

The 28-year-old Sheppard, who set the old mark of 25.12 last summer during the Olympic Trials in Sheffield and came oh-so-close last night in the semis with her 25.13, will be aiming for a sub 25 clocking at the World Championships in Fukuoka in July — which would make her the first Commonwealth swimmer to accomplish that feat.

Her time ranks her No. 1 globally for the year — the first time a Commonwealth swimmer has ever had this distinction in this race.

Strictly a "drop dead" sprinter, Sheppard has a 100 pr of 55.78. The British record is 55.03 by Sue Rolph, who's best 50 here was 25.98 in the semis. Now-retired Aussie, Susie O'Neill, holds the Commonwealth record in the 100 with her 54.79 relay leadoff at the Sydney Olympics.

The world 50 free record is 24.13 by Holland's Inge deBruijn from the Sydney Olympics' semi finals, and she won the gold with her 24.32 clocking — .12 ahead of the next-fastest all-time performer, Sweden's Therese Alshammer — a former Nebraska All-America.

A second Commonwealth record was set by backstroker Sarah Price in the semis of the 100 with her 1:01.36, breaking the old mark of 1:01.51 by Australia's Dyana Calub from the 1999 Pan-Pacific Championships in Sydney. Price's old pr was 1:01.93 from last year's Olympic Trials and the old British record belonged to Katy Sexton (1:01.80, also from the 2000 Trials).
Interestingly, 1:01.51 is the time that former "Wundermadchen" Ulrike Richter of the German Democratic Republic swam at the GDR Olympic Trials in 1976 for the then world record.

A third British national record came in the women's 200 meter breaststroke where Jamie King broke her own standard of 2:29.02 from the Super Speedo Grand Prix in Sheffield last May. King touched here in 2:28.10.

The meet is serving as a "trial run" for the new Mancheser pool which will be the host facility for next summer's Commonwealth Games in late July.

On the men's side James Hickman, former world record-holder (sc meters) in the 200 fly won the 100 in 53.53. Next was former Florida State All-America Stephan Parry (54.28). Hickman is British record-holder (52.87) while Parry holds the 200 record (1:56.24 from last year's U.S. spring Nationals in Federal Way).

In the 100 breast semis Darren Mew was quickest in 1:01.80, just .02 off his pr from last year's Olympic Trials. In the finals he'll be shooting for Nick Gillingham's Commonwealth-national record of 1:01.33 from the '92 British Olympic Trials.

British Nationals and
World Championship Trials

Manchester, England

Day 3: April 11, 2001

50 meter pool

Final MENS 100 Metres FREESTYLE
Place Name YoB Club Time 50
1. Paul PALMER (74) Bath Univ 50.50 24.74
2. Matthew KIDD (79) Leatherhead 50.66 23.98
3. Alexander SCOTCHER (80) Loughboro Un 50.82 24.75
4. Paul BELK (77) Bath Univ 50.96 24.68
5. Jamie SALTER (76) Co Edinburgh 51.00 24.81
6. Marc SPACKMAN (79) Bath Univ 51.42 24.60
7. Christopher COZENS (82) LCLM/COBW 51.58 25.10
8. Anthony HOWARD (79) Bolton Metro 51.61 24.43

Final WOMENS 200m.BREASTSTROKE
Place Name YoB Club Time 50 100 150
1. Jaime KING (76) Bath Univ 2:28.10 GBR 34.33 1:12.33 1:50.20
2. Heidi EARP (80) Nova Cent'n 2:33.09
35.60 1:13.99 1:53.53
3. Charlotte EVANS (84) Bournem'th D 2:35.07
34.56 1:14.03 1:54.73
4. Amy KONOWALIK (86) Nova Cent'n 2:36.54
36.34 1:16.51 1:56.39
5. Natalie BREE (84) Portsmouth N 2:36.96
35.55 1:15.14 1:56.09
6. Kirsty BALFOUR (84) Co Edinburgh 2:37.36
34.98 1:14.44 1:55.08
7. Nicola CHARLESWORTH (82) CAMM/HARS 2:37.92
35.55 1:15.75 1:56.54
8. Sarah NEEDHAM (80) LCLM/WSUM 2:39.30
35.57 1:15.93 1:56.98

Final MENS 100 Metres BUTTERFLY
Place Name YoB Club Time 50
1. James HICKMAN (76) Co Leeds 53.53 25.16
2. Stephen PARRY (77) Stockport Mo 54.37 25.38
3. Robert GREENWOOD (79) Bolton Metro 54.90 25.79
4. David BENNETT (81) PORS/BEKS 54.96 25.38
5. Todd COOPER (83) Stirling 55.92 26.35
6. Mark GRAVES (83) Lincoln Vulc 56.04 26.15
7. Alex BOYCE (80) Loughboro Un 56.14 25.73
8. Ryan TANCOCK (83) Exeter City 56.75 26.30

Final WOMENS 50 Metres FREESTYLE
Place Name YoB Club Time
1. Alison SHEPPARD (72) Milngavie &b 25.07COMR/GBR/WC
2. Rosalind BRETT (79) Loughboro Un 25.30
3. Melanie MARSHALL (82) Loughboro Un 25.94
4. Janine BELTON (79) Loughboro Un 26.22
5. Catrin DAVIES (79) Nova Cent'n 26.35
6. Jennifer LYES (81) T5LS/EALS 26.65
7. Karen LEGG (78) Ferndown 26.81
8. Sue ROLPH (78) Co Cardiff 26.91

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

Final MENS 50 Metres BACKSTROKE
Place Name YoB Club Time
1. Neil WILLEY (76) Bath Univ 26.06
2. Gregor TAIT (79) Co Edinburgh 26.39
3. Liam TANCOCK (85) Exeter City 26.83
4. Matthew BOWE (83) BAUW/BARN 27.03
5. Nathan OXFORD (83) COLM/COAM 27.16
6. David O'BRIEN (83) Prescot 27.25
7. Owen MORGAN (84) Haslemere 27.40
8. Matthew O'BRIEN (83) Millfield 27.54

Final WOMENS 1500 Metres FREESTYLE
Place Name YoB Club Time 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400
1. Rebecca COOKE (83) Reading 16:21.75 GBR/WC 1:01.03 2:05.81 3:11.05 4:16.47 5:22.03 6:27.90 7:33.80 8:39.70 9:45.96 10:52.18 11:58.41 13:04.68 14:11.00 15:17.33
2. Nathalie BROWN (83) East Essex 16:42.18
3. Sarah COLLINGS (78) Bath Univ 16:42.37
4. Caroline SAXBY (83) Wear Valley 16:58.35
5. Philippa DAVIES (84) Bo Southend 17:25.61

GBR – British Record
WC – World Championship Qualifying Time
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