Chloe Tutton made it two gold medals at the British Swimming Championships in Edinburgh as she followed her 100 metre breaststroke success with a second success over 200 metres.
The Commonwealth Games-bound Tutton once again found herself being overhauled by the experienced Spanish Olympian Jessica Vall, but she was clearly the best of British as she came home with almost two seconds to spare over silver medallist Molly Renshaw.
Tutton built up a big lead over the first two lengths and still led at the final turn. But Vall powered through in the 50 metres to win in 2:24.92 to the Welsh star’s 2:25.69.
That time was down on the 2:23.92 performance she posted in America in January, but provided further indication that she is building nicely towards a medal assault next month. Taylor McKeown won the Australian trials in 2:23.87 this weekend, while Georgia Bohl won the 100 metres in 1:07.22 compared to Tutton’s 1:08.02 in Scotland.
“I’ve been in a big high volume block of aerobic work and everything is geared to being fast for the Commonwealth Games in April. I hope to use that event to qualify for the British team for the European Championships later in the year,” said Tutton
“I’m just looking forward to wearing the Welsh dragon in Australia – it is one of the highlights of my career. It has been a dream of mine ever since I was a little girl to be a world record holder, or to get close to it, and I will keep working hard to try to get it.”
The 20-year-old City of Cardiff’s Harriet Jones, who is also heading Down Under next month, also made it a double as she held off Team Wales team mate Alys Thomas for gold for the second time in Edinburgh. Having won the 100 metre butterfly crown on Day 1, she pipped the Swansea swimmer over the shorter distance to win in 26.99 sec to 27.02 sec.
Jones will get the chance to aim for a hat-trick of golds today (Sunday) when she competes in the 200 metres. “I didn’t think I was going to get a PB on Thursday in the 100 because I am tapering down at the moment. I just tried to get out fast and it went well. I was a bit nervous walking out to my name, but I’ve just tried to swim my best.”
Xavier Castelli picked up two more medals as he added the 200 metre backstroke bronze to the same medal he won in the 50 metre event on the opening night. Millfield’s 18-year-old Brodie Williams won the title, with Loughborough University’s Luke Greenbank picking up the silver in a race won by Germany’s Christian Diener.
Diener clocked 1:59.36 with Castellli back in fourth place in 2:00.58. Cardiff junior Ioan Evans was second in the B final in 2:03.68.
Castelli then went one better in the 200 Individual Medley as he struck silver in 2:02.23 behind Tom Dean, Maidenhead’s talented junior, who won in 1:59.88.
Kath Greenslade was third in the B final in the 100 metre back stroke and Swansea junior Lewis Fraser won the men’s 50 freestyle B final in 23.28 sec.
Welsh Commonwealth Games Swimmers in Edinburgh
Sunday, 4 March
Women’s 100m freestyle – Chloe Tutton / Kathryn Greenslade
Men’s 200m freestyle – Calum Jarvis / Xavier Castelli
Women’s 50m breaststroke – Chloe Tutton
Women’s 200m butterfly – Harriet Jones / Alys Thomas