British Championships, Day 6 Heats: Tom Dean Leads 200 Free In 1:46.80; Duncan Scott Through In Seventh, Jacob Whittle Locked Out

Tom Dean: Photo Courtesy: Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

British Championships, Day 6 Heats: Tom Dean Leads 200 Free In 1:46.80; Duncan Scott Through In Seventh, Jacob Whittle Locked Out

The final day of the British Championships dawned with the men’s 200 free one of the most highly-anticipated events given the depth of quality in domestic waters.

Tom Dean and Duncan Scott – gold and silver medallists at the Tokyo Olympics – are joined by Matt Richards and James Guy, with whom they combined to win the 4×2 title at the 2020 Games.

They’re joined by Jacob Whittle and Joe Litchfield, members of the relay squad that won bronze at the 2022 World Championships in Budapest.

Five swimmers have so far booked an automatic slot on the British team for the worlds in Fukuoka.

Men’s 50m Butterfly

Ben Proud returned to the water the morning after winning the 50 free and all but booking a trip to Fukuoka.

The 2017 world champion made his customary superb start in the final heat to touch in 23.74 as third fastest into the final behind Lewis Fraser (23.57) and Jacob Peters (23.65).

Women’s 100m Breaststroke: Qualification Time, 1:05.97; Consideration Time, 1:06.42; British Record, 1:06.21

Kara Hanlon led the way in 1:07.27 ahead of Imogen Clark and Angharad Evans – both on 1:08s – with Sienna Robinson fourth through.

To book an outright slot, one of the field must do something no other British woman has done and go inside 1:06.

Molly Renshaw – who was in the commentary box last night at Ponds Forge – set the British record at the 2021 European Championships.

Men’s 200m Backstroke: QT, 1:56.05; CT, 1:56.60; British Record, 1:54.43

Ollie Morgan is looking for a backstroke clean sweep having won both the 50 and 100 albeit without registering a consideration time.

He stopped the clock in 1:58.78 with Olympic bronze medallist Luke Greenbank looking strong in the final heat in 1:59.12, the pair the only men inside 2mins.

Charlie Brown was third swiftest with Commonwealth champion Brodie Williams through in fifth (2:00.37).

It’ll be quite the Greenbank family affair in tonight’s final with Luke’s younger brother Sam progressing in seventh.

Women’s 100m Butterfly: QT, 56.41; CT, 56.81; British Record, 57.25

A stringent qualification time means that to make or be considered for the team would entail the first journey inside 57 for a British woman.

Keanna Macinnes set the pace in 58.61 ahead of Harriet Jones (59.07) and Laura Stephens – already on the plane in the 200 – who clocked 59.14.

Men’s 200m Freestyle: QT, 1:45.01; CT, 1:45.99; British Record, 1:44.22

The stands at Ponds Forge may have been sparsely populated but there was a ripple of expectation.

Guy and Litchfield were alongside each other in the centre lanes with the 2015 world champion through in 51.58 before stopping the clock in 1:47.09 with Litchfield touching in 1:47.55.

Scott was in lane four in the following heat sandwiched between Jack McMillan and Whittle and it was McMillan who touched in 1:48.21 ahead of his University of Stirling teammate (1:48.52).

The final heat featured Dean and Richards: out in 50.37, the Olympic champion was the only man inside 1:46.80 with Richards going 1:47.09 and Luke Turley third in 1:48.15.

Dean topped the qualifiers with Richards and Guy on the same time and Scott progressing in seventh with Kieran Bird taking the last spot 1:48.97.

There was no place for Whittle whose 1:50.00 placed him 10^th and into the B final as he did last year before going on to drop a 1:46.80 split en-route to relay bronze.

Qualifiers:

1 Tom Dean, 1:46.80

=2 James Guy & Matt Richards, 1:47.09

4 Joe Litchfield, 1:47.55

5 Luke Turley, 1:48.15

6 Jack McMillan, 1:48.21

7 Duncan Scott, 1:48.52

8 Kieran Bird, 1:48.97

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