British Swimmers were in action in Europe and Australia over the weekend, and secured a pile of medals at the New South Wales State Open Championships in Sydney and the Berlin International Swimming Meet.

Berlin saw squads from City of Manchester Aquatics, City of Derby and Derventio Excel taking part, and led by the irrepressible Adam Peaty, they collected several gold medals amongst some encouraging swimming.

Derby’s Peaty was the main man, as he so often is. He won the 100m breaststroke in a lightning quick 59.09, after a 60.29 heat. His final time bettered his own meet mark of 59.90 from 2014 and was the standout male performance of the competition. In the 50m he lowered his meet record in heats with a 27.32 blast and followed up with 27.34 in the final for the win. Left trailing in both events was COMAST’s Chris Steeples who took silvers in both with marks of 1:00.92 and 28.08. Peaty added the 200m gold for good measure.

On the ladies side it was the Manchester team leading the way however. Rebecca Guy won the 100m freestyle comfortably in a personal best of 55.36 and also took the one length dash in 25.77, just outside her swiftest ever. Guy also took silver in the 50m butterfly.

Team-mate Jessica Fullalove was another double gold winner taking the 50m backstroke in 28.71 and the 100m backstroke crown in 1:00.82, leading home a GB clean sweep with team-mate Rachel Lefley and Derby’s Harriet Cooper taking the other podium spots.

Other notable swims came from Danielle Lowe who won the 400IM and took silver in the 100m fly, a feat matched by Sam Horrocks who was only bested by Laszlo Cseh in the men’s’ event, posting a time of 53.70, just off his lifetime best.

Meanwhile, over in Sydney, and fresh from a training camp at Melbourne Vicentre with rival Mack Horton, James Guy was busy cementing his place at the helm of the world rankings in the 200 and 400m freestyle, taking both NSW state titles. In the longer event his 3:45.98 was the second time he has ventured under 3:46 this year and only he has swum faster to date. The 200m was won in a 1:46.97. Guy gained valuable racing experience from this outing; he faced down Commonwealth 400m silver medallist David McKeon and 200m winner Tom Fraser-Homes in both events and also got the better of Horton in the 16-lap race.