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13/09/2002: BSC Day 2 heats: Turner out of 400IM
The day two heats of the 2002 short Course championships ran smoothly as expected, but the session brought the first upset of this year’s meet. Steve Parry again looked on good form, and will have eyes on adding to his two titles in tonight’s finals.
The morning opened, as had the first, with the sprints, as the men’s 50 backstroke hit the pool. Steve Parry, fresh from his 200m victory was again in amongst it at the top of the qualifiers, in third, but it was Bath’s Matt Bowe and Matthew Clay who took the top 2 spots, Bowe heading the list with a time of 26.09. Breastroker Ian Edmond also made it though, recording a solid 27.41. The women’s fly swimmers then took their turn, with Ros Brett comfortably the fastest qualifier, with her time of 27.52 being over a second faster than her nearest rival, Nofio Cymru’s Gemma Howells. 200m winner Terri Dunning was third fastest.
Sarah Whewell eases through the 100IM heats
No sooner had Parry swum down, than he was back in the pool for the 400 IM heats. Despite this event exposing his weakest breastroke leg more then the shorter event which he set an English record last night, he came though powerfully to qualify second fastest. Darren Wigg was the fastest qualifier, but look out for James Goddard in tonight’s final. He looked very easy this morning as he qualified 7th. Parry will be looking for his third title, and his cause will have been done a power of good by the shock disqualification of Manchester Bronze medal winner Adrian Turner for a faulty breastroke turn. Turner was amazed at this turn of events and understandably did not look happy.
The Women’s 100IM looks to be all about Alison Sheppard. The world short course bronze medallist was comfortably quicker that her heat rivals this morning and will stat as favourite in tonight’s semis. Having come though the heats in third place, looking very easy. Sarah Whewell started her competition, having sat out yesterday’s events with apparent injury problems, by coming through qualification in second place, behind 200Im winner Alex Savage of Ferndown, who recorded the fastest time of the morning in 1.04.09, a PB. It is hard to see anyone challenging Sheppard however and she remains favourite for the title.
The women’s 200 breastroke was al about youth, as 17 year old Lauren Greenshields of Edinburgh led the qualifiers with a solid 2.29.85. She was closely followed home by 18 year old team-mate Kirsty Balfour and 16 year old Amy Konowalik from Nova. Of the finalists, only Jamie King, at 25, is older than 20, with Kate Haywood and Danielle Place at 15 the youngest competitors.
Which brought the session to the final event, the men’s 100 free. All eyes were on long course British record holder Matt Kidd, but it was Alex Scotcher from Loughborough who led the qualifiers in 51.16. Local boy Ian Thwaites, swimming here for Bath, but a member of City of Cambridge, gave the home fans something to cheer about as he won his heat in 51.64, to leave him 5th into the semi. Kidd in the end took it easy, qualifying comfortably in 51.84 and remains the favourite. Don’t discount Seth Chappels or Matt Bowe, both highly rated by Bull Sweetenham, for tonight’s semis
With two withdrawals from the 800 free, the ladies event became a straight final, and the session wrapped up in a speedy 55 minutes. Tonight’s session will see the great Breastroke shoot out and should generate some tremendous swimming.