British Championships, Day 2 Heats: Archie Goodburn Goes Third In All-Time British 50br Rankings; Thrillers Promised In 100 Back Finals

Archie Goodburn: Photo Courtesy: Morgan Harlow/British Swimming

Archie Goodburn went third in the all-time British 50br rankings with the men’s and women’s 100 back finals set to be fiercely contested as day two prelims of the British Championships concluded in Sheffield.

Goodburn went 27.19 for a Scottish record while Oliver Morgan took almost a second off his PB to head the men’s 100 back field, the morning after becoming the 50m champion.

Lauren Cox led the way in the women’s race ahead of 2021 European champion Kathleen Dawson and Medi Harris with just 0.07 separating the top three.

While the top-seeded swimmers are competing in the morning prelims, there are some afternoon heats meaning final line-ups will not be confirmed until then.

Men’s 50m Breaststroke

James Wilby: Photo Courtesy: Georgie Kerr, British Swimming

James Wilby returned after winning the 100br on Tuesday evening albeit outside the qualification and consideration times.

A new champion will be crowned in the absence of Adam Peaty – whose first national title came in the 50 in 2014 – and who withdrew last week to focus on his mental health.

The 30-year-old went in the final heat but it was Goodburn who took the eye as he lowered the previous Scottish standard of 27.28 set by Ross Murdoch in Glasgow in April 2014 and propelled him third behind Peaty and his WR of 25.95 and Wilby’s 27.16 at the 2022 trials.

Wilby (27.69) and Greg Butler (27.76) were the top three through to the final.

Women’s 50 Butterfly

Harriet Jones won the 2022 title ahead of Sophie Yendell but it was the latter who headed morning prelims in 26.39.

Jones (26.72) and Jessica Calderbank (26.89) were next through.

Men’s 200m Butterfly: QT, 1:54.22; CT, 1:55.33; British Record, 1:54.58

James Guy won last year’s race but will only contest the 100m of the butterfly events.

With no afternoon heats, Thomas Beeley – fourth in 2022 – booked lane four in 2:00.86 with Andrew Bertoli alongside him after touching in 2:01.12.

Getting the automatic qualification time will be a tough ask given it’s lower than the national record set by Michael Rock back in 2009 in the super-suited era.

Women’s 100m Backstroke: QT, 58.95; CT, 59.65; British Record, 58.08

Not only is Kathleen Dawson’s 58.08 a British mark, it’s also a European record set by the Scot at the 2021 Europeans.

DAWSON Kathleen GBR Great Britain WOMEN - 100M BACKSTROKE Swimming Budapest - Hungary 21/5/2021 Duna Arena XXXV LEN European Aquatic Championships Photo Giorgio Perottino / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

Kathleen Dawson: Photo Courtesy: Giorgio Perottino / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

Since then she has been crowned Olympic mixed medley relay champion but has also experienced the low of a back injury that ruled her out of the 2022 international schedule.

On Tuesday, the University of Stirling swimmer went in heat six and pulled away on the second 50 to clock 1:00.74.

Lauren Cox went 1:00.69 in the next prelim – from which Katie Shanahan had withdrawn the morning after her 400IM exploits – with Medi Harris, the European silver medallist and 2022 champion, going 1:00.76 in the final heat.

With just 0.07 separating the three top women, it promises to be a thrilling final this evening.

Men’s 100m Backstroke: QT, 52.58; CT, 53.32; British Record, 52.73

Another very tough qualification time that’s 0.25 quicker than Liam Tancock’s national standard from 2009.

However, Oliver Morgan looks in the mood to tackle anything as he topped the heats in 53.77 ahead of Brodie Williams (54.51), Jonathon Adam (54.53) and defending champion and Olympic medley relay silver medallist Greenbank in 54.77.

Morgan, of the University of Birmingham, jumped from 54.70 to 53.77 and moves fifth in the all-time British rankings.

Women’s 200m Breaststroke: QT, 2:22.88; CT, 2:23.31; British Record, 2:20.89

The absence of Molly Renshaw was highly visible with the two-time Olympian, British record-holder and triple European champion having retired in November 2022 following an 11-year career that saw her compete at the 2011 worlds in Shanghai aged 15.

Abbie Wood won last year and is the second-fastest British woman in history in 2:21.69 but she didn’t enter the four-length event in Sheffield.

Elizabeth Booker was swiftest in 2:28.01 ahead of Gillian Kay Davey (2:28.06) and Sienna Robinson (2:28.55).

Women’s 800m Freestyle: QT, 8:19.00; CT, 8:26.34; British Record, 8:14.10

Three heats were topped by Lucy Fox in 8:53.96 with three further prelims in the second session before Wednesday evening’s fastest heat.

That will feature Freya Colbert, who won the 400IM on Tuesday night to book a trip to Fukuoka, and Amelia Blocksidge, the 2009-born teen who has an entry time of 8:39.14.

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