Ben Proud completed a golden hat-trick on the final day of the British Gas International Swimming Meet in Manchester.
Proud secured his third individual gold medal of the competition by posting 49.78 in the 100m Freestyle. The Plymouth Leander swimmer, who took the 50m Freestyle and 50m Butterfly titles earlier in the week, was just outside the 49.41 PB he set in the heats.
Proud said: “Last night I thought I’d play around a bit and go out as fast as I can. It worked and I set a PB but it’s not the way I want to swim my race. This morning was good and probably the fastest morning swim I’ve done so I’m feeling confident at the moment.
“I’d like to hope I can swim a 48. It’s what I’m training for and working towards and we’ll see what happens at the Commonwealth Games.”
City of Manchester’s Daniel Briggs took silver in 50.74 and Calum Jarvis (British Gas NTC Bath) took bronze in 50.81.
In the 400m Freestyle Camilla Hattersley (City of Glasgow) swam a personal best to finish first in 4:14.06 and take her third medal of the competition. Denmark’s Julie Aglund Lauidsen touched in 4:17.94 to take silver with Shauna Lee third in 4:18.53.
In the 100m Butterfly British champion Rachael Kelly (British Gas NTC Loughborough) was just outside her PB as she touched in 58.76 to take her second gold of the competition. Silver went to Jemma Lowe (British Gas NTC Bath) with a time of 49.16 and Charlotte Atkinson took bronze in 1:00.32.
Kelly said: “Winning my first British title in Glasgow earlier this year gave me a lot of confidence and drive. I wasn’t sure what to expect coming into this meet so I’m really pleased to have raced close to my PB.
“I still need to do some work on my dive. I won’t be able to perfect that before the Commonwealth’s but will look to perfect it over the next few years before Rio.”
Roberto Pavoni (British Gas NTC Loughborough) secured his second title of the week with gold in the 200m Individual Medley. The British champion was pushed by Daniel Skaaning (Denmark) but a strong back 100m gave Pavoni the win in 2:01.65. Skaaning touched in 2:02.19 for silver with City of Sheffield’s Lewis Coleman taking bronze in 2:03.48.
Chris Walker-Hebborn (Ellesmere College) won his second gold by adding the 50m Backstroke title to his 100m Backstroke gold. Walker-Hebborn posted a 25.56 ahead of Guildford City’s Marco Loughran in 25.90 and University of Stirling’s Charlie Boldison in 26.00.
Georgina Evans (City of Liverpool) secured the 50m Breaststroke title ahead of Laura Kinley (Isle of Man) and Rachael Wilson (Derwentside). The three were separated by just 0.03 seconds in the heats but it was Evans who took gold in 32.58 ahead of Kinley in 32.77 and Wilson in 32.87.
In the 200m Backstroke British champion Lauren Quigley (Stockport Metro) took the title ahead of City of Manchester’s Jessica Fullalove.
Fullalove led through the first 100m before Quigley pulled away to touch in 2:10.43. Fullalove clocked 2:14.06 with Denmark’s Sarah Bro third in 2:14.18.
Quigley said: “It was a good final swim and I’m really happy to be close to my PB in a morning swim.
“Winning two gold’s at the British Champs earlier in the season really set me on my way this season and I’m looking forward to getting to Glasgow.”
Bethany Firth (S14) led the field in the MC 200m Freestyle to take gold ahead of Jessica-Jane Applegate (S14) and Katie Nesbitt (S14). Firth, who won the MC 100 Backstroke title earlier in the week, touched in 2:06.94 to give 1071 points.
[[widget2]]Applegate clocked 2:13.38 for 923 points to take silver and Nesbitt won bronze in 2:19.80 for 802 points.
In the men’s competition Tom Hamer (S14) took the MC 200m Freestyle title with a time of 2:04.26 for 866 points. Daniel Pepper (S14) was second with 2:07.15 (808 points) and Ryan Nicholls (S14) finished third in 2:09.01 (773).
Tully Kearney (S10) won gold in the women’s MC 400m Freestyle with a total points score of 870 after reaching for the wall in 4:45.79. Ellie Simmonds (S6) took silver with a time of 5:34.70 and a score of 867. Bronze went to Hannah Russell (S12) who touched in 4:53.21 to secure 847 points.
After qualifying top in the men’s MC 400m Freestyle heats Ollie Hynd (S8) touched in 4:34.15 to win gold with 914 points. Robert Welbourn (S10) took silver with 849 points (4:17.88) and Michael Jones (S7) won bronze with 812 points (4:59.17).