Proud and Miley open 2016 accounts in Luxembourg

With their international teammates making racing debuts in 2016 last weekend, Ben Proud and Hannah Miley broke cover at the 18th Euro Meet in Luxembourg this weekend as they began their pursuit of a plane ticket to Rio in earnest.

Ben Proud - fastest man in Britain. Photo courtesy British Swimming
Ben Proud – fastest man in Britain. Photo courtesy British Swimming

Coming off a stellar short course showing at the national championships in December, Proud was the pick of the GB representation, recording his 9th career sub-22 swim in a 21.95 win over 50m freestyle, only 0.07s behind his best performance of 2015 and an encouraging start to the long course season. He also won the 50m fly in 23.26, just 0.02 behind his 2015 best, to add a second meet record and posted 49.15 in the 100m freestyle.

Miley meanwhile took on her customary heavy programme, swimming finals in no fewer than eight events over the three days of competition. Her main focus remains the 400IM where she finished runner up to Katinka Hozzsu in a timed final, posting 4:40.76, while her 200IM saw a 2:15.41 for third place.

Elsewhere, two of Proud’s Plymouth teammates improved their international credentials with lifetime best showings. Jessica Jackson finished third in the 100m freestyle, improving her PB by 0.72s in 55.69 and carved 1.51s from her 200 free PB in 2:00.97. If the 18-year-old can continue that pace of improvement she may yet be an outside bet for relay spots in Rio. Teammate Laura Stephens also set a lifetime best, dropping her 100 fly time from last year’s world junior championship by 0.24s in 1:00.28 to break into the all-time top 30 GB rankings.

Full results form Luxembourg are available here

Banner image courtesy Ian MacNicol/Scottish Swimming