Student swimmer Anna Hopkin sprints to first British Championship title
University of Bath student Anna Hopkin celebrated her upcoming 21st birthday in style by winning 50m freestyle gold at the 2017 British Swimming Championships in Sheffield.
Hopkin, who studies Sport & Exercise Science, set a new personal best of 25.07 as she beat Olympic silver-medallist and fellow Sports Training Village-based swimmer Siobhan-Marie O’Connor to the sprint title on Thursday.
“It feels amazing, it’s a really great feeling,” said Hopkin, who is part of Mark Skimming’s training group. “I began to tie up a bit at the end but I got my head down and got to the wall.
“I’m still improving, which is great, and I have a lot to work on. I’m turning 21 on Monday so to do this is the best birthday present.”
Hopkin’s gold is the sixth of the week for University-based swimmers – Chris Walker-Hebborn won the 50m and 100m backstroke titles, James Guy claimed 400m freestyle and 200m butterfly gold, and Jazz Carlin touched the wall first in the 800m freestyle.
Sports Performance graduate Calum Jarvis, a team-mate of O’Connor in the National Centre Bath elite training group, finished just outside the medals in the 100m freestyle.
Two other members of the University training group contested Target Tokyo finals, with Engineering student Miles Munro finishing runner-up in the 100m freestyle and Sport Performance student Lily West placing sixth in the 200m butterfly.
Team Bath AS swimmer Laura McNab impressed in the junior 50m freestyle final, finishing fourth in 26.56.
The British Swimming Championships continue until Sunday.
Many thanks to Georgie Kerr/British Swimming for the picture of Anna Hopkin being congratulated by SIobhan-Marie O’Connor after winning 50m freestyle gold
