Freya Anderson anchors GB to World Championships silver as University of Bath swimmers enjoy busy month of short-course racing

16 December 2024

Freya Anderson added to her international medal collection when the University of Bath-based swimming star anchored Aquatics GB to women’s 4x100m medley relay silver at the 2024 World Aquatics Short Course Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

The Bath Performance Centre swimmer (pictured top, right) dived in for the freestyle leg in third place after strong swims from team-mates Abbie Wood, Angharad Evans and Eva Okaro.

She then clawed back China in the closing stages to touch the wall in second place, securing a first women’s relay medal for GB at World Championship level – across long or short-course events – in 16 years and setting a new British record of 3:47.84 in the process.

It capped an excellent meet for Anderson, who was just half-a-second off the podium as she finished fifth in the women’s 200m freestyle final. She also placed seventh in the 100m freestyle.

University of Bath student Joshua Gammon, supported by an Alumni Fund Sports Scholarship, gained plenty of experience on his debut at a global championships, the highlight coming in the mixed 4x100m medley relay as he helped a youthful GB quartet finish fifth in 3:35.46.

Gammon was also 20th overall in the 200m butterfly, 26th in the 100m butterfly and part of the men’s 4x100m medley relay that placed 13th. Joining him in that quartet was Aquatics GB Bath Performance Centre team-mate Jacob Peters, who was 15th in the 50m butterfly and 18th in the 100m butterfly.

Olympian Leah Crisp won double gold at the Scottish National Short Course Open Swimming Championships. CREDIT: Scottish Swimming

Two members of the University of Bath Student Swimming Club made their World Championships debuts in Budapest. Aryaan Din, representing Pakistan, clocked 50.47 in the 100m freestyle and 1:49.49 in the 200m freestyle while Sam Williamson, representing Bermuda, touched the wall in 2:01.07 for the 200m medley and 4:23.25 for the 400m medley.

Williamson had warmed up for the Worlds by competing at the GoCardless Swim England National Winter Championships (25m), where he was fifth in the 100m medley.

In total there were 25 A-final placings for University of Bath student swimmers in Sheffield including two bronze medals, for Jemima Hall in the 100m freestyle (54.27) and Niamh Ward in the 200m backstroke (2:07.29). Hall was also fourth in the 200m freestyle, as was Isaac Dodds in the 400m medley, while Ward and Matthew Baker claimed B-final victories in the 100m backstroke and 200m freestyle respectively.

Team Bath AS swimmer Nancy Jubb enjoyed an excellent meet as she was crowned para-champion in the women’s S5 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle and 50m backstroke, setting a new British short-course record of 44.68 in the latter.

The Scottish National Short Course Open Swimming Championships saw Paris 2024 Olympian and recent University of Bath graduate Leah Crisp win freestyle gold medals over 400m (4:12.59) and 800m (8:31.57).

There was a Bath Performance Centre clean sweep of medals in the 200m backstroke as Cameron Brooker took gold ahead of training partners Matthew Ward and Jack Skerry. All three are sporting scholars at the University, supported by Hudson Powell, Bill Whiteley and the US Foundation respectively.

Sporting scholars Jack Skerry (left), Cameron Brooker (second from left) and Matthew Ward (right) were all on the podium in the 200m backstroke. CREDIT: Scottish Swimming

Mechanical Engineering student Brooker also pipped Skerry to 50m backstroke gold and won 200m freestyle silver, while Ward – an Integrated Mechanical and Electrical Engineering fresher – was a clear winner in the 200m medley.

There were more podium places for University of Bath Swimming Club members at the Swim Wales Winter Championships, including 50m butterfly bronze for Georgia Pease (27.66) and 200m medley bronze for Tristan Lee (2:03.32).

Hudson Powell Sporting Scholar Dylan Registe narrowly missed out on a medal at the Irish National Winter Championships, placing fourth in the 100m butterfly (54.90).

Hendrik Van Der Leest set new personal bests in each of his disciplines during a busy weekend at the Netherlands National Championships, clocking 1:58.45 for fourth place in the 200m backstroke, 54.18 for fifth in the 100m backstroke and 1:48.75 for sixth in the 200m freestyle.

Visit teambath.com/swimming to find out more about the swimming programme at the University of Bath.

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