O’Connor takes centre stage at Scottish Nationals

While her teammates were in action in France, Siobhan Marie O’Connor was busy completing her final races before Rio at the Scottish National Championships in Glasgow over the weekend, with some fast swims at the Tollcross pool and recording some fine times in the process.

O’Connor had a busy Friday night, swimming the 200IM in 2:09.36 for an easy win, before returning to the pool two events later to set a British Record of 1:06.34 in the 100m breaststroke. O’Connor has long been strong in that event, one that she competed in at the London Olympics, but here she erased Sophie Taylor’s 2014 mark, set in the same Tollcross lane, from the record books. That form is great news for O’Connor’s medley prospects in Rio. Chloe Tutton came home second in a time of 1:07.76, just 0.26 away from her lifetime best in another strong showing. Hannah Miley was third behind O’Connor in the 200IM in 2:13.69, and added a win in the 400IM in 4:40.13.

Day 3 #SNSC16

Molly Renshaw impressed over 200m breaststroke in Glasgow. Pic: Flickr/Ian MacNicol/Scottish Swimming

Molly Renshaw also impressed in the breaststroke events, with a commanding victory over 200m in a time of 2:23.96. That was not far off the best time she set in the same pool on her way to Olympic qualification and notably was faster than the winning time posted at the US trials in Omaha earlier in the weekend. Renshaw was followed home by fellow GB teammate Georgia Coates who set a time of 2:30.81.

Showing good form in freestyle events was Glasgow’s Camilla Hattersley who took a clean sweep of middle and distance Scottish titles with victory in the 200m in 1:59.90, 400m in 4:11.46, 800m in 8:37.12 and the 1500m in a Scottish Record of 16:16.72. That last swim represented a 9 second lifetime best and cemented her place at 7th on the all time British rankings. The equivalent men’s race went to Stephen Milne in 15:18.61, but he didn’t face Tim Shuttleworth who instead raced the 800m, an event he won in 7:58.85.

Day 4 #SNSC16

Clean sweep for Camilla Hattersley in the distance freestyle events. Pic: Flickr/Ian MacNicol/Scottish Swimming

Ross Murdoch was a clear winner in the 100m breaststroke in 1:00.49 and just held off Bath’s Charlie Attwood in the 50m event to win in 27.81. He also took the gold in the 200m event, posting 2:11.32 with fellow Stirling swimmer Craig Benson, who will race this event in Rio as things stand, third in 2:13.96, a result repeated from the 100m where he recorded 1:01.74.

Ieuan Lloyd gave another hint that he will be swimming the 200IM in Rio with that event being his only individual appearance of the meet. He took gold in 2:01.94, with Sheffield’s Max Litchfield in third. Litchfield is slated for her 400IM in Rio and he duly took top spot in that event in 4:18.07, having earlier taken a runner up spot behind his club teammate Nick Grainger in the 400m free.

There were also British club relay records from the Stirling men in the 4×100 and 4×200 freestyle relays, with the former particularly notable for a lead off leg of 48.78 from Duncan Scott, only 0.12 off his best time. The battle between him and Ben Proud to anchor the men’s medley relay in Rio is shaping up nicely.

3 thoughts on “O’Connor takes centre stage at Scottish Nationals”

  1. Shame there will be no female 100 flyer in Rio. With SMOC on the breaststroke, could have shapen up to be a decent medley relay.

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