pullbuoy news: European Championships
golden girls put britain on top of europe
There were 5 medals for Great Britain on the closing night of finals in Budapest to bring the team's total to 13 - the best ever performance by a British squad at these championships. The highlight of the final night was the performance of the ladies 400m medley relay team who snatched gold in a new British Record time, while the squad were named the top team of the championships. [more...]
silver lining for relay quartet
Britain's men fought bravely in the final of the 4x200m freestyle but eventually succumbed to an Italian quartet who boasted greater strength in depth, leaving the home team to take the silver medal in a new British record time. There were no further medal successes on the penultimate night in Budapest but hopes remain of podium success on the final night as several swimmers progressed through their semi-finals. [more...]
relay boys set for tilt at gold
A successful heats session for Britain came to an end with the men's 4x200m freestyle team cruising into the final as second fastest qualifiers behind Italy but more than a second ahead of third placed Greece. The final look set to be a straight shoot out between Britain and Italy, with both teams likely to bring out the big guns for the evening session. [more...]
balfour the toast of budapest with gold
Kirsty Balfour was the toast of British Swimming in Budapest as she confirmed her favourite status and duly took the gold medal in the 200m breaststroke. Britain had no other finalists in the session but successfully progressed six swimmers to tomorrow's finals. [more...]
clay and gilchrist step up with bronze
The British men's team bounced back after yesterday's success from the ladies, claiming two bronze medals as the European Championships passed the halfway point. There was also a British record for the girls 800m freestyle relay team, but they finished just outside the medal placings. [more...]
relay girls take aim at glory
There were no great dramas for Britain on the fourth morning of heats at the European Championships as those expected to progress did just that. Kirsty Balfour glided through the 200m breaststroke heats while Simon Burnett led the way in the 100m freestyle and the women's relay squad comfortably qualified for tonight's final. [more...]
four up for britain as girls strike
It was like waiting for buses - once the first one turned up three more did as well with Britain taking four medals on the third night of finals in Budapest. In almost perfect conditions following the downpour of Tuesday, the home team secured two each of silver and bronze. [more...]
marshall breaks british duck with bronze
Melanie Marshall produced a brave front running performance to take Britain's first medal of this year's European Championships in the 200m backstroke. The Loughborough swimmer led the field through 150m but was pegged back on the closing lap and was... [more...]
successful heats for britain as skies clear
A fine morning saw British swimmers successfully negotiate the heats to tonight’s semis and finals, but the evening forecast does not look so bright and the possibility of a washout cannot be discounted. [more...]
downpour dampens medal hopes
It was a washout for Britain in more ways than one on the second night of finals in Budapest as a torrential downpour caused the session to be abandoned before the events had been completed with the home team still to post an entry on the medal table. [more...]
a slow start, but hopes build for day 2
It was a mixed night in the Budapest pool for Britain as the home squad made their traditionally slow start to a major meet. There was considerable cause for optimism however in the shape of six qualifiers for tomorrow's finals - a 100% conversion rate from the semi-finals [more...]
relay risk pays off
The ladies 4x100m freestyle relay heats saw Britain take a bit of a gamble as all four of the first choice squad were rested for tonight's finals but the morning quartet performed admirably securing, 7th place and a lane in the final. Meanwhile 8 other Britons successfully negotiaed the first morning's competition. [more...]
brits prepare for opening day
Britain's swimmers are making final preparations ahead of the start of competition at the European Championships in Budapest this week. [more...]
davies out of europeans
Commonwealth 1500m champion and Olympic bronze medallist David Davies has withdrawn form the European Championships just over three weeks out form the Budapest competition. The 21 year old has only just returned to full training following an operation to remove an abscess on his left ankle. [more...]
halsall rules europe with third gold
Francesca Halsall confirmed herself as the premier junior sprinter in Europe as she took the gold medal in the 50m freestyle and added a silver over 200m for good measure. She was joined at the top of the podium by Lizzie Simmonds who won the 200m backstroke with ease, while there were also a silver medal and a relay bronze for the British Team. [more...]
gold for relay girls
Fran Halsall claimed her second gold medal of the European Junior Championships as she anchored home the girls relay team of Natalie Durant, Chloe Ross and Lauren Collins to the top of the podium. [more...]
halsall a class apart in palma
Medals were harder to come by for the British Team on the second night of finals in Palma de Majorca, but that didn't mean that they left empty handed with gold for Francesca Halsall and Lizzie Simmonds and Georgia Davies claiming silver and bronze in the girls 100m backstroke. [more...]
juniors show how it's done at europeans
Britain's contingent at the European Junior Championships gave their senior counterparts a lesson in how it's done on the first night of competition in Palma de Majorca as the squad claimed two gold and four silver medals. [more...]
promsing start for britain at ejc
Britain's European Junior Championships squad picked up the baton form their Youth Olympic Counterparts with an encouraging performance on the first day of competition in Budapest. Led by Hannah Miley in the 400IM, the team collected one silver and three bronze medals and qualified a host of swimmer for tomorrow nights finals with a host of personal best performances. [more...]
ejc 2004: second gold for proud
Britain's European Junior Championship team rounded off the event with a flourish as they took an impressive four medals on the closing night of competition. Star of the show again was Stephanie proud who defended her 200m backstroke title, while there were also one silver and 2 bronze medals. [more...]
ejc 2004: silver lining for edwards
Matthew Edwards won Britain’s first silver medal of these championships as he took the runner up spot in the 200m butterfly on the third night of finals at the European junior championships in Lisbon. There was also a bronze medal for Hollie O’Connor in the 50m backstroke to take the team’s medal tally to eight. [more...]
ejc 2004: golden double in lisbon
Britain’s juniors showed great strength of character in Lisbon on the second night of finals at the European Junior championships as they bounced back from their opening night disappointments to claim two gold and two bronze medals. [more...]
ejc 2004: relay bronze tempers first day disappointments
Britain’s junior swimmers came down to earth with a bump on the first night of the European Junior Championships in Lisbon. That’s not to say that their performance was bad, just that it failed to live up to the sky high expectations the swimmers have set for themselves. [more...]