British Trials, Day 2 Finals: Ollie Morgan Lowers Liam Tancock’s British 100 Back Record To 52.70 & Books Ticket To Paris

Ollie Morgan: Picture courtesy: Morgan Harlow, Aquatics GB

British Trials, Day 2 Finals: Ollie Morgan Sets British 100 Back Record Of 52.70 To Book Ticket To Paris

Ollie Morgan lowered the British 100 back record that had stood to Liam Tancock since 2009 to 52.70 as he punched his ticket to Paris 2024.

Morgan served notice in the prelims when he went 52.87 to go within 0.14 of Tancock’s standard of 52.73 set at the World Championships in July 2009 at the peak of the supersuit era.

That elevated the 20-year-old to second all-time in the national rankings as he became the third British man to crack the 53sec barrier following Tancock and Chris Walker-Hebborn who went 52.88 in the very same Aquatics Centre at the 2015 national championships.

He returned in the evening, turning first at 50 in 25.47 before coming home in 27.23 to slice 0.03secs from Tancock’s mark, hoisting himself on to the lane ropes after becoming the first athlete on day two to book his ticket to Paris, well inside the 53.68 cut.

Not only did he punch his ticket for Paris in the individual event, Morgan’s performance also bodes well for the British men’s medley relay squad, coming on top of Adam Peaty’s 57.94 100m breaststroke on Tuesday evening.

The Birmingham University athlete said:

“You can’t really put it into words. If you asked me two years ago (if) I’d be in this position I’d have snapped your arm off and gone there’s no way.

“There’s not been a single blip in my training for that whole entire period, it’s been dedication every day. it’s a credit to what we do at Birmingham University.

“The group we’ve got work so well, Gary my coach has been amazing, he’s got a really good connection with me and it’s clearly working.”

Morgan joined Mel Marshall’s group on their training camp in Thailand in January, a trip he feels has paid dividends.

“I think it’s worked really, really well…….Tw0 52s in a day and a British record at the end of it.”

The 20-year-old added:

“I just love being in the arena……it’s what gets me out of bed in the morning to go for training.

“Days like this when you make the Olympics, it’s a dream come true.”

Jonathon Marshall was also inside the cut, swimming himself well into contention in 53.03, while Luke Greenbank – Olympic and world medallist over 200 – was third in 53.82, his fastest time in two years.

Matthew Ward was fourth in 54.10 as he twice lowered the Scottish record in one day, initially taking 0.01 off Gregor Tait’s 54.22 mark from April 2008 in the prelims before his effort in the evening.

He was followed by Brodie Williams (54.48), Jack Skerry (54.50), Jonathon Adam (54.88) and Charlie Brown (55.09).

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