Team GB swimmers seal Friday finals with impressive performances

Team GB’s Olympic Games swimmers put on a number of fantastic performances as they sealed a host of Friday final spots.

On a night when Laura Stephens and the Women’s 4x200m Freestyle relay team missed out on a podium place but gave it their all in their medal races, five swimmers secured a return to the Paris La Defense Arena tomorrow night.

Ben Proud was joint first in his ‘splash and dash’ 50m Freestyle semi-final, while Honey Osrin set a new personal best as she qualified third fastest in the Women’s 200m Backstroke – with Katie Shanahan seventh quickest.

Duncan Scott and Tom Dean also secured places in the Men’s 200m Individual Medley final, finishing third and sixth fastest respectively.

Laura ‘not at her best’

Stephens was eighth in the Women’s 200m Butterfly final and admitted she was missing that ‘extra gear’.

In her first Olympic final – she took 10th spot at the Tokyo 2020 Games – Stephens clocked a time of 2:08.82.

She said: “I just didn’t quite have that, like, extra gear tonight to step up for the final.

“I did a lot of work yesterday to just be back here tonight, so I was just happy to be there in the top eight and I enjoyed it.

“The crowd was brilliant and I could hear them all the time I was swimming but, yeah, unfortunately, it just wasn’t my best.

“Coming off the back of my first Olympics in Tokyo, it was a different environment – this has been much more enjoyable, I’ve actually been able to have friends and family in the crowd that have travelled to see me.

“’m just so grateful for all their support, and beyond my family and friends, everyone at Aquatics GB that helps, my coach Dave Hemmings, and then everyone who plays The National Lottery back in the UK.

“Our network of support is so big for athletes like myself through that, and we honestly can’t sing praises enough for everyone in the country that backs us – we can really feel it all behind us with Team GB.”

Relay team battle hard

The Women’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay team of Freya Colbert, Abbie Wood, Freya Anderson and Lucy Hope took fifth spot as they battled hard to reach the podium.

They were 10.15 seconds behind the Australian team, who set a new Olympic record of 7:38.08 to take the gold.

Colbert got the team off to a flying start, clocking 1:55.95 on the first leg, while Wood maintained Team GB’s fourth-place at the halfway stage after finishing in 1:56.57.

Anderson recorded a 1:56.15 and Team GB were fifth as Hope took over and she finished in 1:59.56 to maintain that spot.

“I think we were hoping for a little bit better but that field is just extraordinary,” said Hope.

“Being in front of that crowd, alongside these girls, it’s just such fun and good to get out there and race among the best in the world..

“The cheers were so loud I was shaking. 

“This atmosphere is second to none especially when there’s French swimmers out there. 

“It’s the fastest it’s ever been at the Olympics so it’s just nice to be out there against the best in the world

Honey sets new PB

Osrin shaved more than half a second off her personal best in the Women’s 200m Backstroke as she impressed on her Olympic Games debut.

She clocked 2:07.84 to take second place in her semi-final and finish third fastest overall.

Osrin, whose previous best was 2:08.37, said: “I’ve definitely been working towards a 2.07 or 2.06 so I’m happy to have finally broken through that barrier.”

Shanahan will also be in tomorrow’s final after finishing in a time of 2:08.52.

Proud finishes joint first

After cruising through the morning heat, Proud looked more determined in the second Men’s 50m Freestyle semi-final and touched home in an impressively quick 21.38 – the exact same time as Australian Cameron McEvoy.

They were two fastest qualifiers for the final and Proud admitted it was a situation he’d not been in before.

He said: “I’ve never been in this position but it’s very exciting. 

“That race felt great, a semi-final always will as it is quite relaxed. I was happy with that and let’s see how the lanes get drawn but either way, I’m next to Cameron and he’s a great swimmer to race.

“It’s funny, not everything went right but it is about finding that balance of what you can do well and what you can do better.

“There definitely is more pressure coming into tomorrow night but, as a whole, this meet feels very calm and relaxed.

“Everyone is going to be in the same boat and there will be top class athletes on the outside lanes.”

Scott and Dean qualify

Scott and Dean were second and fourth respectively in the first semi-final of the Men’s 200m Individual Medley.

It meant a nervy wait for Dean to see whether he had done enough to be returning for the final but his time of 1:56.92 was enough for sixth fastest overall.

Dean said: “It was a tight semi-final. It felt good and felt like I’ve got enough in the finish.”

Scott, who clocked 1:56.49 to qualify third quickest, added: “I wanted to be out a bit quicker, but we will look at it. I should have an alright lane for tomorrow.”