DOUBLE Paralympic Champion Eleanor Simmonds swam to the gold medal in the women’s MC 400m Freestyle on the first day of the British Gas Swimming Championships 2011.
Simmonds looked strong throughout the final and touched in a time of 5:31.08 and took a total of 969 points to secure her gold medal.
Her time was just outside of her personal best but within the qualification time for the IPC Swimming European Championships.
Natalie Jones took the silver in a time of 5:54.63 and a total of 789 points and Susannah Rodgers won bronze in 5:34.96 and 754 points.
The men’s 400m Freestyle saw four athletes swim faster than the European qualification times but it was Jonathan Fox that came out on top to win the gold medal.
Jonathan Fox had multi Paralympic Champion Dave Roberts on his side and he powered through to finish in a time of 4:51.78 and won gold with a points score of 956.
World Champion Tom Young took the silver in a time of 4:34.39 and a total of 912. Sam Hynd won bronze in 4:35.71 and a total of 899.
World Championship medallists Daniel Pepper and Ben Procter battled it out for the glory in the men’s MC 200m Freestyle.
Procter led for the first half of the race but Pepper had too much in the tank and put in an excellent back end to over take him with 100m to go.
Pepper won gold in a time of 2:05.23 after taking 912 points. Procter won silver in a time 2:06.12 and took 893 points.
“It was a good swim,” Pepper said. “The time wasn’t great but I kept them off. I was two seconds off my best but that was at the worlds. I can’t wait now for the Europeans.”
Craig Rodgie took bronze in a time of 2:07.84 with 858 points.
Natalie Massey won gold in the women’s MC 200m Freestyle after putting in a dominant performance in this evening’s final.
Massey got an early lead in the final and at the half way point she looked on course for the British record but it just escaped her as she touched in a time of 2:17.92 to win 928 points.
“I was really pleased with that time,” Massey said. “I can’t wait for Europeans. I was disappointed with the worlds last year but this year its game on.”
World Championship finalist Chloe Selman won silver with a total of 772 points after finishing in 2:26.67. Stephanie Bird took bronze in 2:30.65 and 712 points.
