Jazz Carlin and Chris Walker-Hebborn bag Barcelona titles as swimmers continue Mare Nostrum success
Jazz Carlin continued her golden streak and Chris Walker-Hebborn was also victorious as University of Bath-based swimmers won four medals in Barcelona on Wednesday.
It was the latest stage of the Mare Nostrum Series, in which Carlin had won 400m and 1,500m freestyle gold in Canet, France over the weekend.
Her latest success came in the 800m freestyle, with Carlin – coached by Dave McNulty at the Bath National Training Centre – tracking fellow Brit Keri-anne Payne for much of the race before taking the lead just before the penultimate turn.
She then pulled away in the last 100m to touch the wall first in 8:28.59 – an impressive performance, particularly as she is still in an intense period of training ahead of next month’s World Championships in Kazan, Russia.
“I am feeling a bit heavy so it is good to get out there and race,” said Carlin, who won Commonwealth gold over 800m at Glasgow 2014.
“I was happy with the 400m in Canet. It is good to get into the mix. It’s just about moving on to Kazan now.”
Carlin’s win came in the first final of the night and was followed moments later by a 50m backstroke success for Walker-Hebborn, pictured.
He held off a strong challenge from fellow Brit and world record holder Liam Tancock to claim victory in 25.23, adding gold to the silver and bronze medals he won in Canet.
Lizzie Simmonds secured a silver medal in the 100m backstroke, clocking 1:00.22 to finish between Denmark Mie Nielsen and Wales’ Georgia Davies.
And Siobhan-Marie O’Connor completed the Bath medal collection by finishing runner-up to Femke Heemskerk in the 200m freestyle, touching the wall in 1:57.23.
Jemma Lowe was just nine-hundredths of a second away from a podium place in the 100m butterfly, finishing fourth in 59.31.
The Barcelona leg of the Mare Nostrum Series continues on Thursday, with Chemical Engineering student Andrew Willis and Olympic silver-medalist Michael Jamieson competing in the 200m breaststroke.
Jamieson will officially open the newly-refurbished London 2012 Legacy Pool at the University of Bath Sports Training Village on Tuesday.
Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire/Press Association Images
