Marshall mix-up taints British Championships

April 2, 2024

Veteran swimmer Mel Marshall made headlines for all the wrong reasons at this week’s British Swimming Championships. A school-boy error by the 26-year-old left her dream of competing in the 4x100m Olympic relay team in tatters.

The rules state that swimmers are required to gather in a pre-race call room before the race, but with Marshall standing outside of the room it was deemed that she had not successfully registered in time.

She admitted to BBC Radio Lincolnshire, “I was five minutes late, it’s my own responsibility.”

“I was waiting outside the room, thought they would notice me, but I have to respect the rules. I didn’t report, so that’s that. It was a mistake.”

Marshall does still have the chance to qualify in her specialist event, the 200m freestyle.

The Championships, which also take the role of Olympic trials, have brought the best out of many British swimmers with two Commonwealth and five British records falling within an hour.

In the women’s events, four ladies have been put forward for selection to the Olympic squad; two for 200m butterfly, and two for the 100m freestyle.

The 200m butterfly final lived up to expectation after impressive heats. After a tough contest, Jemma Lowe came out on top, with Ellen Gandy close behind to take the second qualification spot.

The absence of Marshall made way for Fran Halsall and Caitlin McClatchey to shine in the 100m freestyle. Both girls qualified, but it was McClatchey who had the edge to become the new British Champion.

The Championships continue until April 6^th, with live coverage coming from BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra from 09:55.

Rachel Stansfield, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine

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Marshall mix-up taints British Championships

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