On the second day of the World Swimming Championships in Manchester, Rebecca Adlington set a new European record as she took gold in the 800m freestyle.
Adlington, 19, swam an excellent race, leading from the start, and just missed out on a world record by a quarter of a second but won in 8:08.25, a massive 11 seconds inside her previous best. GB’s Joanne Jackson finished sixth. The win takes Adlington’s medal tally to two, with the silver she won on day one in the 4×200m freestyle relay. She said, “I’m so tired from last night but I wasn’t going to let anyone beat me in that one.”
GB team mate Kate Haywood also added to the British medals, taking joint silver in the 50m breaststroke after Russian Yuliya Efimova was disqualified. America’s Jessica Hardy took gold and the fourth world record of the evening.
Zimbabwean Kirsty Coventry continued her winning form by winning gold and breaking her own championship mark in the 100m backstroke final. Britain’s Lizzie Simmons took seventh place.
Francesca Halsall finished as fastest qualifier for today’s 100m freestyle final with a time of 53.20, but unfortunately Caitlin McClathchey finished just outside the top eight.
We will also be watching Adlington, back in the pool again for the 400m freestyle today. And let’s not forget about the guys, with 37 year old Brit Mark Foster going for gold as fastest qualifier in the 50m freestyle.
Louise Hudson, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine
