Sunderland swimmer Rachel Taylor qualified for the World Championship Trials, after swimming a personal best time at the Burns Meet in Sheffield.
Taylor, 15, from the City of Sunderland swimming club, swam a time of 2:38.64, which ranked her 12th in the country this year in the open category and was 0.6 of a second faster than the qualifying time for the British championships, which doubles up as the trials for the World Championships.
Taylor commented on the race saying: “I knew before the race that I was only half a second away from the time. I knew when I had touched the wall that I had paced my race right and I am just over the moon to have qualified for trials.â€
Taylor also swam a personal best in the 400IM, but wasn’t alone in success at the meet which was held at Ponds Forge International swimming pool at the end of January.
18 year old Adam Taylor had a solid meet, coming 1st in the 50 metres backstroke, 100 and 200 metres backstroke, swimming just outside of his personal best swims. Taylor also came 2nd in the 50 metres backstroke in a time of 26.71, a personal best swim.
16 year old Zak Logue swam his way to five personal best swims out of six races over the weekend. He started off with the 400IM, stopping the clock in a time of 4:45.68. He then halved the race and showed his versatility in the 200IM, coming 8th in a time of 2:16.20. From there, one of the newest additions to the Sunderland team moved onto the 200 metres backstroke, touching just outside of his PB in a time of 2:17.97. Zak was touched out for a bronze medal in the 200 metres butterfly, swimming a time of 2:14.22. He finished off his weekend with PBs in the 400 and 100 metres freestyle.
18 year old Lucy Ellis had a great swim in the 400 metres freestyle, coming sixth in a time of 4:23.98, a personal best time by four seconds. 15 year old Anya Sordy and 16 year old Emma Cassell also swam personal best times in the same event. Amy Henshaw also had a solid race swimming slightly outside of her PB.
16 year old Freya Rayner swam her way to two top three finishes in the open category, coming third in the 50 metres backstroke and the 50 metres freestyle, just outside of her PBs.
There were some good races in the sprint events, with Jodi Bunker, Anya Sordy and Emma Cassell swimming personal best times in the 50 metres freestyle. Jodi finished in a time of 29.25, Anya finished in a time of 29.34, and Emma finished in a time of 28.12. Nicole Lough also competed in the same event, swimming a time of 32.99.
20 year old Jack Bridge swam a personal best in the 50 metres butterfly, stopping the clock in a time of 29.71, and had a close race with Matthew Wylie in the 50 metres freestyle, touching Matt out in a time of 27.82, whilst Matt finished in a time of 27.87. Josef Craig also had a good swim in the same event, dipping under the 29 second mark in 28.95.