Proud Extends World Ranks Lead In 21.67, As Mills, 17, Pops First Two Sub-22s Of Career
Adrift Ben Proud's 21.6 world-ranks topper, a glimpse of the next wave: 17-year-old Jacob Mills, coached by Jamie Main at Repton, goes 21.99, after 21.96 in heats; and Loughborough's Abbie Wood goes 2:08.8 career high in the 200IM, Stirling's Katie Shanahan also inside Singapore cut, on 2:09
Olympic silver medallist Ben Proud, racing for Chelsea & West, extended his lead at the helm of the early 2025 World rankings with a 21.67 lane-5 victory in the 50m freestyle on day 5 at the Aquatics GB Swimming Championships in London.
There was also fine news from the Loughborough camp of coach Dave Hemmings as Abbie Wood shaved 0.06sec off her year-old career high with a 2:08.85 victory in the 200m medley.
World, Commonwealth and European champion in the dash back in 2022, a unique triple down to his speed and race craft, as well as a Covid pandemic the shuffled major events from one season to the next and delivered a row of international championships that would not normally coincide in the same year, Proud had topped the ranks with his 21.73 at the Edinburgh International in February.
Pre-selected for World Championships this July, courtesy of his first Olympic podium, Proud will return to his swimming roots in Singapore, where he cut his teeth in the youth pool before heading back to England to be guided by Jon Rudd (now performance head for Ireland) at Plymouth Leander (and College). He has since been guided by other coaches, including James Gibson.
With gold in the 50 free at every major level open to him - World, long- and short-course; European L.C and S/C; Commonwealth for England - barring Olympic, and then only by 0.05 adrift Cameron McEvoy, of Australia, isn Paris, Proud is the undisputed king of the freestyle sprint pride when it comes to the 50m in Britain.
Craig Lord
Craig Lord
There was, however, a glimpse of the next wave in the form of the man closest to him in London today: silver medallist in the 100m and now the 50m, 17-year-old Jacob Mills, coached by Jamie Main at Repton, on ... 21.99, after 21.96 in heats for a ticket to Lane 4. Mills had entered the championships with a high of 22.38.
In the final tonight, he pipped Alexander Painter, Millfield, in 22.01, his bronze locking out Alexander Cohoon, Loughborough, 22.10, and Jacob Whittle, Bath University, 22.32. Only Proud, however, made the Singapore cut, of 21.88, though Mills is sure to be there, his 100m a qualifier and his passage to the 4x100 free assured.
Proud was grateful for the race in domestic waters in which the clock has long provided him with the closest test. Plaudits and encouragement flowed for Mills:
"I wanted to come into this week and race, and that was exactly it. I had to go up against a new one next to me who was excited, but I know this event very well, I know myself and I knew I just needed to squeeze just a little bit more out considering the time of the year.
"I think it's just exciting having someone young coming on to the team, after the race I just told him [Jacob], 'these are the experiences that money can't buy, you can't practice this anywhere else other than the big events', so it seemed like he was a little bit disappointed with a 21.99 tonight - which was very exciting for a 17-year-old because I think he's an exciting one to watch and I hope he keeps hungry and aiming for a bit more, because there is a lot more to come."
Wood, meanwhile, raced to her new personal best through splits of 27.59, 59.89 and 1:37.24 before her 2:08.85 was followed home by a 2:09.88 from Katie Shanahan, University of Stirling. Shanahan's time, 0.48sec shy of her best, from 2023 nationals, ensured then Britain will have two women in the 200IM in Singapore. The bronze in London today went to Manchester PC's Leah Schlosshan in 2:13.14.
Wood is in happy place, delighted with a personal best and excited to race. Se said:
"I think I'm at that point in my career where I'm just really enjoying swimming again and it's really reflecting in the pool. It's not a chore going to training everyday, I'm really enjoying it and I think it shows when I race. I'm relaxed, there's no pressure on myself anymore because anything I do now is a bonus, so I can't complain with a few PBs!"
She added a note on the championship environment, one which highlighted a serious dilemma for the sport:
"I think Aquatics GB's investment into this event, it's such a good production, it does kind of mirror a World Championships, with cameras following you up and down, it's a kind of practice for that stage, and with the environment and this Olympic pool it's not hard to get excited for racing."
So, where's the dilemma? ...
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Craig Lord
