Colbert, Shanahan, Hopkin & Record-Breaking Litchfield Swell The Ranks Of Britain’s Pool Prospects In Paris
Max Litchfield wrote a rare line in swimming’s chronicle today when he followed up a pair of fourth places in the 400m medley at the past two Olympics with a ticket to a third Games in a British record no less. British Championships, 2024. Faster than ever: 4:09.14.
It’s tough enough to make it to two Games and final in the 400m medley, while a third time around in one of the most gruelling events (some argue the but who cares beyond the pain barrier anyway) even proved a touch too far for the great Michael Phelps, the American finishing fourth at London 2012 after victories in 2004 and 2008.
Domestic dominance swept Loughborough’s Litchfield into club of those who defy time passing and take a different approach to performance at the third time of asking. He was never led: out in 56.46, he turned to breaststroke on 2:00.22 and freestyle on 3:10.93. He brought the race home well since the QT of 4:11 with a 58+ closing split.
The podium was completed by the champion’s performance centre teammate Charlie Hutchison, in 4:15.72, and George Smith, of the University of Stirling, in 4:17.31.
Inside Duncan Scott‘s British record by 0.04sec, Litchfield said: “I’m a bit overwhelmed to be honest. The goal coming in was to qualify, and that’s been ticked off – to get the British record back is amazing. Duncan and I were saying this morning that we’ve never raced this long course together, I don’t know how we’ve done that. To get that record back off him is awesome, and hopefully we can race that together for the first time at some point in the next couple of years.”
He added: “Now, I’m just really happy, and I’m just looking forward to the summer. If I want to medal in the summer, I’ll need to be faster than that again I think, so there’s plenty to improve on. But it’s a first personal best since 2017, so it’s exciting for the rest of the week now.”
Litchfield, 29 this year, took a break after Tokyo, and then spent periods training overseas, in Italy and much further afield. The change and the rest that came with it obviously did him good, kept him in the game and help put him back on TeamGB in an event that will feature one of those close to Phelps’ legacy and skills/knowledge inheritance: Leon Marchand, coached by Phelps mentor Bob Bowman at ASU (the coach now on the move to Texas) will arrive at a home Games in Paris as the man who took down the American GOAT’s 400IM World mark when he claimed the world title last year. All who make it through will want a medal, of course, but just to be in that final is the stuff dreams and lore are made of.
Like others, Litchfield was presented with his medal by his own dad, parents having been invited to do so at these championships and trials. Nice touch, Aquatics GB. May it be rolled out much further afield.
Colbert, Shanahan and Hopkin join the qualification club
If Litchfield flies the flag for the British men in the 400IM, the national women’s 400m medley is arguably in better shape than it’s been since the height of Hannah Miley‘s great career. The Scottish ace was present and poised to hand out the medals as Freya Colbert and Katie Shanahan lined up for the eight-length/four strokes fight tonight.
Colbert, coached by Dave Hemmings at Loughborough and a World champion in the 400IM from the oddball Doha global gathering in February, took a lead on butterfly she never reliquished, Shanahan, coached by Steve Tigg at the University of Stirling, chasing all the way. Both ended up with a ticket to Paris, Miley kept her national record, while Colbert clocked a career high of 4:34.01 and Shanahan one of 4:36.67. Solid times, Colbert’s on the cusp of medal contention. The podium was completed by Beatrice Varley, of Plymouth Leander, in 4:46.34, a time Sharron Davies clocked for the Olympic podium in 1980 at the height of the GDR doping era, her silver a gold if we discount known and proven use of banned substances.
The other final on day 3 at the London Aquatics Centre saw coach Mel Marshall‘s Loughborough charge Anna Hopkin, Olympic mixed medley champion in Tokyo, book her place in the Paris 50m freestyle, in 24.53, her daily practice for the bigger moment having included a 24.59 morning heat.
“I’m happy with that,” said Hopkin. “I’ve been a little bit quicker so far this season but you know when you’ve got the pressure of a time to get it adds another dimension to it so I’m just really happy that I could deliver a good time when it mattered.”
The silver went to a teenager who has been training alongside Hopkin and Co at Loughborough from time to time since she was 15: Eva Okaro, now at Reston and a fine sprint prospect for the future, clocked 24.90. She’s now 17. Back in 2022, Okaro and her mother Helena spoke to The Times for Black History Month in 2022, their insight fascinating and transcending colour and swimming. Another Loughborough charge, Isabella Hindley, took bronze in 25.25.
Other finals on day 3:
And after three days, the Paralympic tickets for Paris, subject to confirmation, have been stamped by (the top 3 on day 3):
- Scarlett Humphrey (S11 50m Freestyle)
- Alice Tai (S8 50m Freestyle)
- Stephen Clegg (S12 100m Freestyle)
- Stephen Clegg (S12 100m Backstroke)
- William Ellard (S14 100m Backstroke)
- Mark Tompsett (S14 100m Backstroke)
- Alice Tai (S8 100m Backstroke)
- Poppy Maskill (S14 100m Backstroke)
- Olivia Newman-Baronius (S14 100m Backstroke)
- Megan Neave (S14 100m Backstroke)
- Poppy Maskill (S14 200 Freestyle)
- Louise Fiddes (S14 200 Freestyle)
- Olivia Newman-Burke (S14 200 Freestyle)
- Susanna Hext (S6 200 Freestyle)
- Tully Kearney (S5 200m Freestyle)
Day 3 heats featured a World Record in the S14 100m freestyle, courtesy of William Ellard, who clocked 51.36. The event is not on the Paris schedule for his category, however.
Trials Information
- Results in full
- Link to entry list
- Selection policy
- Aquatics GB meet page
- Broadcast & streaming info
- The Vortex: Japanese Olympic trials
- The Cuts:
