{"id":617952,"date":"2025-07-25T02:09:59","date_gmt":"2025-07-25T09:09:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=617952"},"modified":"2025-07-25T02:23:22","modified_gmt":"2025-07-25T09:23:22","slug":"world-championships-angharad-evans-tops-the-100m-breaststroke-rankings-but-focuses-on-the-controllables","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/world-championships-angharad-evans-tops-the-100m-breaststroke-rankings-but-focuses-on-the-controllables\/","title":{"rendered":"World Championships: Angharad Evans – Within Sight of British History But Focusing on The Controllables"},"content":{"rendered":"

World Championships: Angharad Evans – Within Sight of British History But Focusing on The Controllables<\/h4>\n

Angharad Evans<\/strong> was three when a British woman last won a breaststroke medal at the long-course World Championships.<\/p>\n

Evans\u2019 fellow Scot Kirsty Balfour<\/strong> claimed joint silver alongside Megan Jendrick<\/strong> behind the great Leisel Jones<\/strong> at Melbourne 2007. That followed Zoe Baker\u2019s<\/strong> two trips to the 50m podium in 2001 and 2003.<\/p>\n

You have to go back to 1978 for Britain\u2019s first worlds medal when Margaret Kelly<\/strong> won 100m breaststroke bronze In West Berlin.<\/p>\n

Nor has a British woman ever topped the world long-course podium. Molly Renshaw<\/strong> is the sole champion in the short-course pool with 200 gold at the 2016 worlds but Balfour remains the closest to being crowned world champion in the Olympic-sized arena.<\/p>\n

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Angharad Evans: Photo Courtesy: Aquatics GB<\/p><\/div>\n

Evans stands atop the 100m rankings thanks to her 1:05.37 national record at the British Championships as she\u00a0launched herself into the top 15 all-time, standing joint-14th with Annie Lazor<\/strong>\u00a0who also clocked 1:05.37 at the US Olympic trials in 2021.<\/p>\n

The 22-year-old will expect to be jostling with the likes of Tang Qianting<\/strong>, Anna Elendt, Ruta Meilutyte<\/strong> and Lilly King<\/strong> in the quest for the top of the 100 podium and stands within touching distance of British history.<\/p>\n

While acknowledging such a potential outcome, Evans is quick to credit those around her at the University of Stirling and at the national set-up.<\/p>\n

She told Swimming World: \u201cThat is exciting! I think if I am lucky enough or my hard work does pay off it\u2019s not just a reflection of me but also the team behind me at Great Britain and at Stirling \u2013 Bradley Hay, Ben Higson, all the science and sports staff. I think it does us all justice of how hard we work and how hard they work behind the scenes.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Evans became the first British woman to break 1:06 at the AP International<\/strong> last year, lowering Renshaw\u2019s national record from 1:06.21 to 1:05.54. She\u2019s subsequently gone 1:05 a further four times including the 1:05.85 that secured sixth in the Olympic final on her international debut.<\/p>\n

For Evans though, this year has been about process and controlling the controllables.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the past I\u2019d say I\u2019ve been chasing times but this season is the first time I haven\u2019t been chasing times, I haven\u2019t been chasing medals, I\u2019ve been focusing on my own swimming and the processes within my race. I dive in and the only thing I\u2019m focused on is what I\u2019m meant to be doing at that certain metre.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that\u2019s worked really well for me because I can\u2019t control what other people swim. I can focus on my own processes and do a 1:04.9 but if three other girls do 1:04.8 then that\u2019s the medal gone and I can\u2019t control that at all. So, what I\u2019ve been working on this season is just controlling what I can control and if medals come to me, that\u2019s great and if they don\u2019t then back to the drawing board and I\u2019ll learn from that.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Evans took a sledgehammer to her 200 PB earlier this year as she cut it by almost three seconds at BUCS in February in 2:22.64, a time she subsequently lowered to 2:21.86 at the British Championships, elevating her to third performer in the rankings.<\/p>\n

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l-r: Abbie Wood, Angharad Evans, Eva Okaro & Freya Anderson: Photo Courtesy: Aquatics GB<\/p><\/div>\n

Her performances over four lengths have come as a major surprise to Evans.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always been a sprinter. Saying that, my 50 hasn\u2019t been a focus this year at all. I\u2019m so grateful to have the 200 in addition to the 100, I just felt at the Olympics I had more racing in me. Only being able to race the 100 was a bit strange for me, I\u2019m used to domestic meets where I\u2019m doing all three breaststrokes and relays. So, it\u2019s exciting to have a busier schedule and fully use all the racing I believe I have in me.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Read more about Angharad Evans:<\/strong><\/p>\n