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GBR Lead GER 102-56 On Duel Day 1
Feb 20, 2010 - Craig Lord
After a classy start to the GBR Vs GER duel at the Wales National Pool in Swansea, from the magnificent Welsh Male Voice Choir, the harmonious ranks of which belted out the British, Germany and Welsh anthems, Elizabeth Simmonds and Georgia Davies got the hosts off to a good start with a one-two in the 50m backstroke, 28.66 to 29.02. That race read the runes right, for at the end of day one, Britain lead by 102 points to 56, after taking all 14 points up for grabs in the medley relays that resulted in no points for the defeated.
Simmond's was back 45mins after the 50m to put in the peformance of the day with a 2:07.57 to trounce her rivals in the 200m backstroke, and finished the session leading the British 4x100m medley relay to a Loughborough club record. Just a week after clocking 2:06.90 in Sheffield, the teenager stormed to a 1:02.04 half-way split, her poise and angle of buoyancy a model of what it means to be a great backstroke swimmer. Loughborough coach Ben Titley, not part of the official staff this time round, was up in the stands smiling.
The women's 400m free produced a British 1-2-3, with an intriguing result: Olympic and world medallists Joa Jackson and Becky Adlington found themselves second and third best respectively to Jazz Carlin, one of former performance director Bill Sweetenham's smart trackers along with Simmonds and Francesca Halsall. Coached by mentor to the legendary Janet Evans, BudMcAllister, a man also recruited to Britain by Sweetenham, Carlin drove hard from start to a 4:06.41 finish, the time a fraction outside her shiny suit best. Watch for Carlin.
Jackson and Adlington gave Britain the clean sweep on 4:08.64 and 4:10.17 respectively, with Adlington wearing a suit with no legs. Both she and Jackson are working for a bigger moment next month when they must qualify for even bigger moments later in the year. Swansea was a training run that delivered what they had wanted: a Brit 1-2-3. The order of things is a battle to come and Carlin's effort suggests that will be some tussle. McAllister said after the race that he had not been as excited by a swimmer since Evans because of what Australians refer to as the mongrel factor. McAllister would rather talk pedigree and cited the description of Carlin used by Martyn Woodroofe, now performance head of Wales (Carlin races for Wales at Commonwealth level) and back in 1968 Olympic silver medallist over 200m butterfly ahead of a certain Mr Spitz: "She's a pitbull ... " when it comes to racing. And more on that a little later this evening.
Carlin would have beaten one of the men in the next final, which was won by world champ Paul Biedermann in 3:52.76 after eight laps of cat and mouse that ended in the Biedermann blast down the last 50m (not quite as fast as those last 50m finishes in Rome, of course, but that was to have been expected, suits or no suits).
The meet marks the first head-to-head duel between Germany and Britain since 1973 and takes place some six weeks before Britain trials for the European Championships and some Commonwealth Games berths.
Straight after Simmond's 50m at the start of the session, Liam Tancock and Matt Clay gave GB another 1-2 in the same event for men, Tancock showing why he is world champion and record holder with a 24.92 blast, No1 this year and his second-best textile-time ever, 0.08sec adrift. Great early season speed - and his angle of buoyancy looked terrific.
The 400m medley saw Aimee Wilmott, 15, clock a swift 4:44.45 for a dominant victory over Anne Bockman, 15 and another London 2012 and beyond hopeful, on 4:49.91. Nina Schiffer touched third for Germany was DQ'd for a 'fly kick on breaststroke, giving Emma Smithurst one point and a 1-2-3 for Britain.
Thomas Haffield gave his local Welsh crowd much to cheer about with victory in the 400m medley in 4:21.31. He had swum a touch behind teammate Joe Roebuck throughout the race but took the lead down the last 50m. Roebuck took second in 4:22.41, with Yannick Lebherz taking the battle for third 4:24.29 to 4:25.34 for Lewis Smith.
Germany hit back with a clean sweep in the 50m breaststroke, Janne Schaefer getting the touch in 32.21, ahead of Kerstin Vogel, 32.32, and Caroline Ruhnau, on 32.40. A few events later it was announced that Lowri Tynan's touch pad had malfunctioned. She had in fact clocked 32.18 and the points and result were adjusted later in the session to reflect her victory.
The men's sprint breaststroke produced an astounding win and a blanket follow-through: Hendrik Feldwehr unassailable on 28.16, ahead of Briton's Dan Sliwinski, on 28.94, and Darren Mew, 28.95, Marco Koch on 28.97.
Fran Halsall, world silver medallist in Rome, wondered whether she had please her Loughborough coach Ben Titley with her work on "great body position". She had. Her time of 54.52 in the 100m free an excellent effort six weeks out from trials. More from Halsall in the offing.
Paul Biedermann and Steffen Diebler hit back for Germany, taking the 100m free in 49.78 and 50.05 to Ross Davenport's 50.34. The world 200m and 400m champ said: "I'm excited to be here. It's a great crowd." He said he felt very welcome.
After Simmonds had cracked out a stunner in the 200m back, the men's race gave Germany a clean sweep. The only Brit in the field was Chris Hebborn-Walker. He stood out because he wore briefs and because he was the only sub-59sec and sub-minute half-way splitter. He faded in the last 50m, leaving the race to Lucien Hassdenteufel, 2:01.85, Yannick Lebherz 2:02.10, and Felix Wolf, 2:02.62, the battling Brit just a hand behind on 2:02.84. That left the duel at 49 to 40 in Britain's favour.
Then Britain hit back with a 1-2-3 in the 100m fly, Jessica Sylvester getting the touch in 1:01.30, 0.17sec ahead of Jessica Dickons, with Louise Pate, on 1:02.01, getting the touch over Franziska Hentke, on 1:02.19. In the men's 100m fly, Antony James got the touch for Britain in 54.32, with Germany taking the other points, Toni Embacher on 55.04 and Johannes Dietrich on 55.35, 0.32sec ahead of James Doolan. Such tussles can only produce positive results for these swimmers. Great racing - at a time when all are in heavy training.
Another tight tussle unfolded in the women's 200m breaststroke, between Caroline Ruhnau (GER) and Charlotte Barnes (GB), the German hanging on for the touch in 2:30.70, 0.41sec ahead of the Brit, with Georgia Holdeness taking the 1-point for Britain with a 2:35.36 effort.
Watch for Michael Jamieson, of Britain, in the seasons ahead. He took the 200m breaststroke in 2:13.29 ahead of Marco Koch (GER), on 2:16.40. The 21-year-old managed a 2:11 in a shiny suit but looked strong today in textile, with more to come.
Germany V Great Britain, Swansea. Day 1 results:
(solo events points: 5, 3, 1 for 1st, 2nd and 3rd; teams: 7 to the winner - 0 to the losers)
50m backstroke - women
50m backstroke - men
400m medley - women
400m medley - men
50m breaststroke - women
50m breaststroke - men
100m free - women
100m free - men
200m backstroke - women
200m backstroke - men
100m butterfly - women
100m butterfly - men
200m breaststroke - women
200m breaststroke - men
400m free - women
400m free - men
4x100m medley relay - women
Duel: GB - 95; GER - 56
4x100m medley relay - men
Duel: GB - 102, GER - 56
