Adlington Takes Gold

First Place for Adlington at the Scottish National Championships

Jun 26, 2009

Olympic gold medallist Rebecca Adlington took first place in the women's 200m Freestyle at the British Gas Scottish National Championships.

Her impressive performance yesterday puts her in a good position to make the 4 x 200m relay team at the World Championships in Rome this summer.

The 20 year old who trains with Nova Centurion took the lead from the beginning and secured a one second lead at the half-way point. She took first place in 1.57.15 ahead of Jazmin Carlin of Swansea Performance and Loughborough ITC’s Caitlin McClatchey.

Adlington said: “I knew that it was going to be a challenging race so obviously I'm delighted to have come through. I just wanted to swim well enough to guarantee a relay place though. I won’t race the 200 in the worlds I don't think - 800 is still my best event and I want to concentrate on that. But the 4 x 200 is such a fun relay and with the strength in depth we have I know we are going to be challenging at the Worlds.”

Selection process for the World Championships in Rome

The final squad heading for the World Championships in Rome will be revealed following the completion of the Scottish Nationals on Sunday. Athletes had to either win at the British Long Course Championships which took place at Sheffield’s Ponds Forge in March or achieve the second fastest time over the two events in order to put themselves in the running for selection. Adlington has already guaranteed her place in the World Championship squad and is due to compete in the 800m Freestyle event after an exciting swim on the fourth day of the British Championships.

Other Results from Day One of the Scottish Nationals

Olympian Gemma Spofforth smashed the British record in the women's 50m Backstroke during the morning heats in a speedy 27.99. She got off to a good start in the final moving into the lead at 25m point. The Portsmouth Northsea swimmer looked confident throughout and took first place in 28.03.

Spofforth said: “It’s good to get the British record back of course. I wanted to go faster again in the final today but I guess I just wasn't so focussed this afternoon. It’s better to have a great field like that so it’s a shame I didn’t take the chance.”

The copyright of the article Adlington Takes Gold in Olympic Swimming is owned by Kim Ford. Permission to republish Adlington Takes Gold in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.