Dawson grabs third gold and Euro record as GB top standings
If Kathleen Dawson’s Olympic rivals did not regard her as a genuine threat just a few months ago, they would be foolish to not feel her menace now.
The 23-year-old polished off a superlative European Swimming Championships with her third gold in a time that makes her the fourthfastest in history in the women’s 100 metres backstroke. A vital contribution to the last of 20 British victories here that topped the medal standings and bodes immensely well for the Olympics where action in the pool begins in precisely 60 days’ time. Kirkcaldy’s aquatic titan teamed up with Molly Renshaw, Laura Stephens and Anna Hopkin to triumph in the women’s 4x100 metres medley relay in a championship best of 3:54.01.
Dawson, at last, secured the European record that she has long coveted with a lead leg of 58.08secs,surpassinggemma Spofforth’s mark that dated back to the era of long-banned textile suits. Amid a late rush
that also saw her Stirling University training partner Cassie Wild land silver in the 200m backstroke, she stood supreme.
“It's great to finally get it, especially here,” Dawson said. “It's amazing seeing the British team doing so well. It was amazing seeing Cassie and then the boys perform tonight. That really lit a fire under me so I think I knew I was going to make it.”
Duncan Scott also left with five medals with his anchor leg instrumental in victory in the men’s 4x100m medley in 3:28.59, also a championship best.
It delivered Adam Peaty his fourth gold here with Luke Greenbank and James Guy’s contributions underlining the potential for a wave of British relay medals in Tokyo.
“For us to be able to do that on the last night is exciting for what is to come in the summer,” Scott said.
Wild, who also procured a relay gold for swimming the morning heats, bested Dawson’s existing Scottish record with a time of 2:07.74, inside the Olympic qualifying mark for the event.
Italy’s Margherita Panziera retained the title in a championship record of 2:06.08 with 16-year-old Glaswegian Katie Shanahan sixth in her first international final.