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.
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.
In other finals, Keanna Macinnes, coached by Ben Higson and team at the University of Stirling, clocked 58.03 to take the 100m butterfly title ahead of teammate Lucy Grieve, on 58.09, the bronze down to a snap: Manchester PC's Emily Richards and Repton's Eva Okaro, champion in the 50 free and 50 'fly this week, both on 58.46.
That final and the men's 200m breaststroke delivered no tickets to Singapore, with Gregory Butler, racing for Loughborough, just over half a second shy of target, for the win in 2:10.17. The podium was completed by Filip Nowacki, Millfield, in 2:11.09, and George Smith, University of Stirling, in 2:12.67.
The men's 800m freestyle at the start of the session delivered no ticket to Singapore either, the cut a 7:47, but Tyler Melbourne-Smith's win for Loughborough in 7:58.68 was heartening news for distance swimming in Britain at a time when there's a lot to despair about.
Melbourne-Smith, who leaves his teenage years behind this season, had entered on 7:59.59, his new best, via a 3:57.64 at half-way, kept Luke Hornsey, Edinburgh University, and Alexander Sargeant, of Swansea University, at bay, their respective times 8:03.11 and 8:04.28.
The Champions, including Paralympic event winners, courtesy of Aquatics GB:
With one day to go in London...
Other coverage on the Championships:
Craig Lord
Craig Lord
Craig Lord
Craig Lord
