Successful final tune-up for GB in Vichy

After many of their contemporaries wrapped up their pre-world championships racing preparations at the Scottish nationals in Glasgow last weekend, a group from Loughborough comprising the national sprint group plus several NTC teammates, did likewise at the France Open in Vichy over the weekend.

Molly Renshaw – solid last 200m breaststroke swim before Kazan.

It was Molly Renshaw who provided probably the best performance of the meet, clocking a season’s best 2:25.67 for the runner up spot in the 200m breaststroke, her second fastest in season time ever and faster than she managed at trials. She also made the final in the 100m event, coming home 6th in 1:10.48.

More podium places were taken by Francesca Halsall, who won the 50m freestyle in a tify 24.65 and added a win in the 50 butterfly too. She was runner up in the 50m backstroke event to her house-mate Georgia Davies, losing out by 28.20 to 27.95. Davies is not heading to Kazan, but showed good form nonetheless, also winning the 100 backstroke in 1:00.65 for a second gold.

Rachael Kelly – continued her Worlds preparation with gold in the 100m butterfly.

Britain’s final gold medalist was Rachael Kelly who won the 100m fly in 58.67 – just off her winning time from Glasgow, but solid once again for this point of her preparation.

In the battle of the butterflyers, Adam Barrett responded on the clock to Tom Laxton’s 53.06 in Glasgow last weekend, with a swim of 53.46 for 5th place. That’s a solid in-season swim for Barrett, but does not swing the pendulum significantly in terms of the medley relay line-up for Kazan.

Meanwhile, Roberto Pavoni mounted the podium twice, picking up silvers in both the 200 and 400 IMs, and Liam Tancock finished 5th in the 50m backstroke in 25.65, an event in which James Disney-May won the B final.

The sole non-Loughborough swimmer, Michael Jamieson swam the meet as he prepares for his charge to Rio, but seemed a little out of sorts. A 2:16.27 200 breaststroke heat was followed by a 2:17.53 final and he subsequently scratched the 100. We’ll next see him in action at US Nationals later in the summer.

Full GB results are available here.

Banner image courtesy Arena

5 thoughts on “Successful final tune-up for GB in Vichy”

  1. I’d like to throw something into the mix ‘in the battle of the butterflyers’ debate.
    Duncan Scott swam a relay split of 52.79 in GBs Baku European Games Silver winning Medley team.
    Maybe there’s another option……

    1. Possibly, but I don’t see that he’s going to drop significantly more time from that split (this summer at least) – Tom Laxton split a 52.41 last weekend, presumably unrested so you would expect him to be faster than Duncan in Kazan. Never say never though.

      1. I don’t disagree with you Steve, I just thought I’d throw his name into the pot. We don’t of course know if Duncan Scott was rested or tapered for Baku!
        There is of course James Guy to consider also.

  2. I watched it and know him, laxtons 52.41 relay Un-rested looks good for the summer

    1. I think he’s got to be favourite for the spot at the moment.

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