Archie Goodburn produced a thrilling performance to win gold at the British Championships in Sheffield, just hours after he set a Scottish record in the event.
In qualifying for the final of the 50m breaststroke in the morning session, Goodburn broke Ross Murdoch’s national record by clocking 27.19 seconds and ensuring he was the fastest qualifier for the evening’s final.
The 21-year-old from Edinburgh duly delivered, winning gold in 27.24 seconds to add to the bronze he won in the 100m breaststroke on day one.
“It’s my first British Champs title so I’m buzzing with that.
“I was expecting to swim fast but breaking that Scottish record of Ross’ in the heats was a bit of a surprise. He’s like a brother to me. It’s great I have his support and he’s happy for me to be breaking those records,” Goodburn said.
Former world champion in the event, Adam Peaty, is missing from these British Championships due to mental health issues but Goodburn pushed long-standing member of the GB team, James Wilby, into second place and he admitted being able to compete with such established internationalists has given him self-belief.
“Over the last few years, getting closer to them has been important,” he said. “Realising that they’re just people like you and they have troubles in the sport too and so having them to talk things through and speak to about having a few years of plateauing has been helpful.”
Kathleen Dawson continued her comeback from injury by winning bronze in the 100m backstroke.
A former European champion in the event, Dawson missed almost all last season due to a back injury and in that time, has seen Welshwoman Medi Harris overtake her as British No.1.
The final went to form, with Harris the only swimmer to dip under the one minute mark with Dawson third in 60.5 seconds.
The University of Stirling swimmer, who won Olympic relay gold in Tokyo, admitted to mixed feelings about her performance after realising her time was outside the qualification standard for the World Championships in Japan this summer.
“It’s been a rough year-and-a-bit to get back to where I am now,” she admitted.
“So on the one hand, it’s impressive that I’ve come from where I was to be able to compete at this level again. Coming into this meet, I wanted to just be competitive again and trust that I can finish a race and not be in any pain so I’m glad that I’m there.
“But on the other hand, it’s tough not being where I want to be, which is qualifying for the Worlds. So it’s bittersweet.”
Kara Hanlon failed to pick up a second gold, finishing second in the 200m breaststroke, despite taking one-and-a-half seconds off her personal best. Hanlon touched the wall in 2 minutes 25.12 seconds, only five hundredths behind winner, Gillian Davey.
In the 200m butterfly final, University of Aberdeen’s Tom Beeley won silver as he dipped under two minutes for the first time this season, finishing in 1 minute 58.99 seconds, and in the 50m butterfly, Lucy Grieve of the University of Stirling won bronze.
Olympic champion Duncan Scott will be in action for the first time today when he goes in the 100m freestyle. Also aiming for silverware will be Keanna McInnes in the 200m butterfly, Mark Szaranek in the 400m IM and Evie Davis in the 50m freestyle.
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