Jo Jackson (Loughborough ITC) continued her impressive form into the women’s 200m Freestyle final by smashing her own British record and taking her second gold medal of the British Gas Swimming Championships 2009.
Jackson, who broke the world record in the 400m Freestyle in Monday, posted good times in her heat and her semi-final and looked on course for more success in this evening’s final.
The Olympic bronze medallist gave herself an early lead and she was two seconds ahead of the field at the final turn. Caitlin McClatchey (Loughborough ITC) pushed her club-mate throughout the final 50m and seemed to be catching Jackson at the 25m mark but the pace was too much.
Jackson touched home in a new Commonwealth and British record time of 1:56.47 to seal her second place on the British World Championship squad.
“It’s a great feeling to qualify for the 400 and 200m Freestyle,” Jackson said. “It takes a lot of pressure off me for the rest of the period leading to Rome.
“I know there are still ways I can improve and I'll be working with my coach Kevin Renshaw on those.”
The silver medal went to Olympian McClatchey with a time of 1:57.58 and the bronze was won by Jazmin Carlin (Swansea ITC) in 1:58.85.
Loughborough ITC’s Kate Haywood booked her place to the World Championships with a good performance in the women’s 100m Breaststroke.
Haywood touched first at the 50m mark and used her pace on the final 50m to extend her lead and take the gold medal with a time of 1:08.59.
Wrexham’s Lowri Tynan took silver with a time of 1:10.21 and the bronze was won by Trowbridge’s Charlotte Barnes in 1:10.73.
The semi-finals of the women’s 200m Butterfly saw Ellen Gandy (Beckenham) qualify fastest for tomorrow’s final with an excellent performance. She was closely followed by Borough of Stockton’s Jessica Dickons and Garioch’s Hannah Miley.
