Paris Olympic Cuts For Osrin, Shanahan As Litchfield Locks Out All Favourites To Grab ‘Fly Berth In Medley Relay
Honey Osrin and Katie Shanahan raced inside the qualification time in the 200m backstroke and Joe Litchfield produced a shock victory in the 100m butterfly to grab the right to a medley relay berth at the Paris Olympics on Day 4 at British Swimming Championships and trials in London.
Osrin, coached by Ian Hulme at Loughborough, left nothing to chance, with lead split of 30.03, 1:01.96 and 1:34.71, Katie Shanahan, coached by Steve Tigg and team at the University of Stirling, never far away but still 1.13sec adrift at the last turn. The qualifying time was on for both, at 2:08. 95.
Osrin held sway to beyond half-way home before feeling the fight as Shanahan chased her down in the closing 15m. Osrin had done enough: 2:08.37, Shanahan on 2:08.53, both women with tickets to Paris, the national champion an automatic qualifier, the silver medallist with a second qualification target met at these trials on the list of those for whom selection is pending on confirmation from the British Olympic Association.
In all likelihood, the numbers will stack up in her favour and two will go to Paris for the 200m backstroke.
Osrin was stunned at the end of race. An Olympian to be… she emerged with a huge smile on her face as reality sunk in. She thanked “everyone, Ian and the team at Loughborough, my parents and family over from South Africa. The back end of the race had felt “rough”, she confirmed, adding: “I’m glad I held on!”
Reflecting on her swim and what it means for her, winner Osrin said: “It just means everything. It’s everyone’s dream to go to the Olympics, and I’m ecstatic, I’m so happy. I feel like the biggest challenge tonight was managing my nerves, keeping in control, not let my nerves get the best of me – and I just thought, go out there, have some fun, I knew I’d put in the work.”
Meanwhile, Shanahan’s Stirling teammate Holly McGill rounded off the podium in 2:09.10, with Scotland and Stirling celebrating three of the top four, Olympic mixed medley champion and 100m champion this week, Kathleen Dawson, fourth in 2:10.25.
Men’s 100m Butterfly – Joe Litchfield Joins Bro Max For Paris Party
Joe Litchfield raced a 100m butterfly at the Edinburgh International a few weeks ago and decided he’d have a crack at it at British Championships and Olympic trials this week in London. Good move: he’s Paris bound for his second Olympic Games, joining his brother Max, 400IM champion and record setter yesterday, once more three years after they raced alongside each other at Tokyo2020ne.
Out in lane 2, Litchfield junior, coached by Dave Hemmings at Loughborough, produced a shock win on 51.71, and as first man home, despite no-one in the final making the Olympic target time for the solo event, will be in Paris for the medley relay, subject to BOA confirmation.
A delighted Litchfield said: “I just put my head down and did the best I could, really. I swam in the 100 ‘fly in Edinburgh three weeks ago and wasn’t going to do it here until then. It was a late decision so to be British champion is amazing.”
His brother Max emerged from the 200m medley final with a bronze medal at then close of the session to recall how “great” it was to have his brother with him on the team at Tokyo2020ne but had no idea that history would repeat until he caught a glimpse of the scoreboard. He said: “Honestly was down there [in the preparation area] and couldn’t see it… there’s no screen down there. But when I got to look up I saw [on the scoreboard] he’d won. I’m delighted for him. He deserves it more than anyone – it’s great to see him back on the team.”
Next home in 51.82 was 200m champion Josh Gammon, of Bath University, leaving Bath Performance Centre’s Jacob Peters third in 51.88 and out of contention for the Games: he had clocked 51.56, a precise match of the Paris cut time, in morning heats, but the selection policy puts all eggs in the one, final, decisive basket.
If Peters took home a medal for his efforts, the two other favourites for Olympic selection, Ed Mildred and James Guy, on 52.1 and 52.2 respectively, were locked out of the medals.
Guy is not yet down and out: Britain’s most decorated Britain relay swimmer and Olympic 4x200m freestyle champion with Tom Dean, Matt Richards and Duncan Scott, will race the four-length in the show-stopping, curtain-closing final of the championships on Sunday evening. Should he make the team, he would be eligible to race in any relay at the discretion of the coaches guided by prevailing form in Paris.
As things stand, a 51.7, solid as it is for Litchfield, is not sharp enough if Britain want to challenge for the 4x100m medley title in Paris. Guy’s split when Britain claimed silver behind the USA’s World record in a European mark in Tokyo was 50.27. Even with the flying start taken into account, that’s more than a second faster that the best of Britain this day.
Men at Work is the sign at the end of the lane for any eligible to wear the Jack on their cap this summer.
Worth noting Guy’s soaring contribution:
For Britain: 2015-2023
- Olympic Games – 2 gold, 3 silver
- World Championships (LC) – 5 gold, 2 silver, 4 bronze
- European Championships (LC) – 7 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze
For England:
- Commonwealth Games – 2 gold, 7 silver, 4 bronze – 2014-2018
Top Of The Heap Of A Golden Tally
Olympic
2021 Tokyo 4×200 m freestyle
2021 Tokyo 4×100 m mixed medley
2016 Rio 4×200 m freestyle
World LC Champs
2015 Kazan 200 m freestyle
2015 Kazan 4×200 m freestyle
2017 Budapest 4×200 m freestyle
2019 Gwangju 4×100 m medley
2023 Fukuoka 4×200 m freestyle
Women’s 400m Freestyle: Bath’s Holly Hibbott took the title once more, her 4:11.67 keeping at bay fast-finishing fourteen year-old winner of the 1500m this week, Amelie Brocksidge, who broke the 16-year-old national age-group record in 4:12.09. Fleur Lewis clocked 4:14.10 for bronze.
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
