Guy signs off in Sheffield with fourth British title
BySportsbeat
Published 24/04/2017 at 12:08 GMT
Double Olympic silver medallist James Guy was pleased to end the 2017 British Swimming Championships on a high as he won the last gold medal of the week by racing to 200m freestyle glory.
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It capped a successful week for Guy as he left Sheffield with four more British titles on his swimming CV, while there was also success for Sarah Vasey, Luke Greenbank, Alys Thomas and Ben Proud on the final day at Ponds Forge.
Guy touched the wall in 1:45.55, ahead of Duncan Scott by just 0.25s, while Calum Jarvis took bronze.
The time was enough to be considered for World Championship selection in the event, but not quite automatic qualification, but Guy was just pleased to get his hands on the gold.
"I really wanted that one," he told British Swimming. "It's kind of my event. The time was ok but it's the end of a long week and I didn't feel as sharp as the 100m fly. But it's a nice way to finish the championships.
"I'm glad for Duncan and Calum but it's a tough field and I think everyone did a great job and it was a fast final. It's a good sign for the relay for later in the year too.
"I knew Duncan would be up there but I didn't think he would be that close. I saw him at the 100m and I thought 'mmm ok he's with me' so I focused on coming back as hard as I could. It was a good swim from him."
Earlier in the night Vasey had also put herself in contention for the World Championships in Budapest, this summer, after winning the 100m breaststroke in 1:06.78, which was a new personal best.
She beat Rio silver medallist Siobhan-Marie O'Connor into second, with Jocelyn Ulyett coming home third and Chloe Tutton fourth in what was a talent-packed final.
"All of the girls have been swimming amazingly this week especially in the breaststroke," said Vasey. "I knew it was going to be a tough final and a battle but I just wanted to come out on top.
"I knew I had natural speed because I came second in the 50m breaststroke so I knew I could go out hard and then all the work I've been doing has been about the back end so I just had to trust in the work I had done with Mel [Marshall]."
The final session in Sheffield opened with the 50m butterfly final that saw Proud win his second gold medal and British record in as many days.
After taking the 50m freestyle on Saturday night, he backed that up with a time of 22.80 in the butterfly final, with Adam Barrett in second and Robert Fannon in third.
While in the women's 100m fly there was success for Thomas, with Charlotte Atkinson second and Rachael Kelly third.
Loughborough University's Greenbank completed the senior finals with victory in the 200m backstroke, ahead of Joseph Hulme and Xavier Mohammed.
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