lane4
07-08-2003, 11:03 AM
Just a summary of recent Scottish swimmers results that I got sent through from SASA this morning...
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City of Edinburgh swimmer Ian Edmond was at the forefront of Scottish swimmers superb success over the last three weeks in Barcelona, Paris, Sheffield, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Seventeen Scottish swimmers and divers qualified for British teams at World, European Junior and European Youth Olympic events and a further two Todd Cooper and Kirsty Balfour end the summer by leaving for the World student games in Korea on 18th August.
The highlight of the performances was without doubt Edmond's superb silver medal in the 200 metres breaststroke at the World Championships in Barcelona. Ian who was disappointed with his Commonwealth Games performance in 2002 bounced back with a solid heat swim and new Commonwealth, British and Scottish record of 2 10.69 in the semi final. The final pitted the Edinburgh medical student up against 100 metres World record holder Kosuke Kitajima from Japan. The race produced a new World record for the Japanese man and a superb silver for Edmond in 2 10.92. Commenting after the race "I'm delighted with silver, though I thought I could have gone a lot quicker he said. "I came here knowing I had nothing to worry about and that I was going to swim quickly.This is a step in the right direction."
Edinburgh team mate Gregor Tait had to battle in a swim off for the last place in the 200 metres backstroke final, despite setting new Scottish records of 1 59.02 and 1 58.80 Gregor had to settle for 9th overall but followed up with new Scottish records in 50 and 100 metres backstroke.
Todd Cooper making his senior British debut joined Tait in the men's 4 X 100 medley team taking 8th spot overall in a new British record. Graeme Smith, Alison Sheppard, Karen Nesbit, Monique McCarroll and David Leith were also members of the most successful ever British team at a World Championships picking up 8 medals overall.
Paris was the host venue for the European Youth Olympics, Scott Houston and Mark Branch collected gold in the 4 X 100 medley relay team along with Branch gaining silver in the 200 metres breaststroke in a new British and Scottish Junior record and Scott Houston taking a double bronze in the 100 and 200 metres backstroke.
Glasgow witnessed British swimming's most successful ever European Junior campaign finishing second overall behind Russia with 20 medals including 6 gold. Martin Leel, COAST, led the Scottish efforts with a bronze in the men's 4 x 100 medley relay team along with a best time in the 200 metres butterfly. Edinburgh diver Nicki Bennett made his British debut at the European junior diving event in Edinburgh in the platform final.
Scotland's youth and age group swimmers made a real impact at the 8 day Nationals in Sheffield improving significantly on their 2002 performances. Ronald Falconer, COAST 100 meters freestyle and Lewis Smith, Warrrender 400 metres individual medley set new Scottish junior records amongst the 23 gold, 14 silver and 12 bronze medals making a total of 49, compared with 41 twelve months earlier. National Youth coach Alastair Johnson hailed the performances as tremendous for Scottish swimming and praised the coaches for their efforts.
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City of Edinburgh swimmer Ian Edmond was at the forefront of Scottish swimmers superb success over the last three weeks in Barcelona, Paris, Sheffield, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Seventeen Scottish swimmers and divers qualified for British teams at World, European Junior and European Youth Olympic events and a further two Todd Cooper and Kirsty Balfour end the summer by leaving for the World student games in Korea on 18th August.
The highlight of the performances was without doubt Edmond's superb silver medal in the 200 metres breaststroke at the World Championships in Barcelona. Ian who was disappointed with his Commonwealth Games performance in 2002 bounced back with a solid heat swim and new Commonwealth, British and Scottish record of 2 10.69 in the semi final. The final pitted the Edinburgh medical student up against 100 metres World record holder Kosuke Kitajima from Japan. The race produced a new World record for the Japanese man and a superb silver for Edmond in 2 10.92. Commenting after the race "I'm delighted with silver, though I thought I could have gone a lot quicker he said. "I came here knowing I had nothing to worry about and that I was going to swim quickly.This is a step in the right direction."
Edinburgh team mate Gregor Tait had to battle in a swim off for the last place in the 200 metres backstroke final, despite setting new Scottish records of 1 59.02 and 1 58.80 Gregor had to settle for 9th overall but followed up with new Scottish records in 50 and 100 metres backstroke.
Todd Cooper making his senior British debut joined Tait in the men's 4 X 100 medley team taking 8th spot overall in a new British record. Graeme Smith, Alison Sheppard, Karen Nesbit, Monique McCarroll and David Leith were also members of the most successful ever British team at a World Championships picking up 8 medals overall.
Paris was the host venue for the European Youth Olympics, Scott Houston and Mark Branch collected gold in the 4 X 100 medley relay team along with Branch gaining silver in the 200 metres breaststroke in a new British and Scottish Junior record and Scott Houston taking a double bronze in the 100 and 200 metres backstroke.
Glasgow witnessed British swimming's most successful ever European Junior campaign finishing second overall behind Russia with 20 medals including 6 gold. Martin Leel, COAST, led the Scottish efforts with a bronze in the men's 4 x 100 medley relay team along with a best time in the 200 metres butterfly. Edinburgh diver Nicki Bennett made his British debut at the European junior diving event in Edinburgh in the platform final.
Scotland's youth and age group swimmers made a real impact at the 8 day Nationals in Sheffield improving significantly on their 2002 performances. Ronald Falconer, COAST 100 meters freestyle and Lewis Smith, Warrrender 400 metres individual medley set new Scottish junior records amongst the 23 gold, 14 silver and 12 bronze medals making a total of 49, compared with 41 twelve months earlier. National Youth coach Alastair Johnson hailed the performances as tremendous for Scottish swimming and praised the coaches for their efforts.