University of Bath-based swimmers lead world rankings after winning weekend at Edinburgh International Meet
Siobhan-Marie O’Connor claimed the top FINA points prize and Lizzie Simmonds produced the fastest 200m backstroke time in the world this year during an encouraging weekend for University of Bath-based swimmers at the Edinburgh International Swim Meet.
Eighteen-year-old O’Connor’s winning time of 2:10.12 in Saturday’s 200m individual medley final took her above World Champion Katinka Hosszu to the top of the 2015 rankings.
She finished four seconds clear of the field in that race but Sunday’s 100m fly final was much closer, with O’Connor winning by a fingertip from Loughborough’s Rachel Kelly and National Training Centre Bath team-mate Jemma Lowe.
Simmonds produced her quickest time outside of trials and major competitions for five years as she clocked 2:08.32 in the 200m backstroke final, putting her ahead of China’s Yuanhui Fu in the global standings.
The Bath swimmer was touched into second place in the 100m backstroke final by Commonwealth 50m champion Georgia Davies.
Double European Champion Jazz Carlin recorded a freestyle treble triumph by winning the 800m, 400m and 200m titles, clocking 1:58.04 in the latter after overtaking team-mate O’Connor on the home straight.
University of Bath Chemical Engineering student Andrew Willis won the 200m breaststroke in 2:12.22, holding off a strong finish from Adam Peaty who had beaten him to victory in a high-quality 100m race which saw Michael Jamieson finish eighth.
Lewis Coleman completed a 200m IM for Bath by winning the men’s event and there was a double for Lowe in the 50m and 200m fly, with University of Bath swimmer Tilly Gray runner-up in the latter.
There were third-placed finishes for Jonny Carlisle in the 200m backstroke and Calum Jarvis in the 100m freestyle.
The swimmers have been training at Millfield School in Street but will be returning to their University of Bath base when the London 2012 Legacy swimming pool reopens on April 22 after a major refurbishment.
