Dawson makes it a double with record
KATHLEEN DAWSON’S emergence as an aquatic juggernaut was underlined once again at the Olympic trials in London last night as the 23-year-old sliced over a second off her Scottish record in the women’s 200 metres backstroke.
Her time of 2:08.14 brought her second victory of the week and was almost three seconds clear of her Stirling University cohort Cassie Wild in a repeat of their 1-2 over 100m which effectively secured tickets to Tokyo for both.
Dawson was inside the required consideration time to compete in the longer event at the Games. Yet she would rather funnel her individual ambitions into the 100 and expend her remaining energies into what appears a decent shot at the podium in the relay.
“I got the job done in the 100 so I came into this as a bit of fun but it was great to get the time,” she said. “I would love to be in that 4x100 mixed medley. It’s a huge medal chance so that would be amazing.”
The Fifer would be a valuable component to a lineup which could potentially also incorporate Adam Peaty, Duncan Scott and Freya Anderson. Her bar has been raised immensely. Her role models are now contemporaries as she prepares to excel in Japan.
“I want to be the Adam Peaty of British backstroke,” Dawson said. “He’s an inspiration, looking at how I want to swim my races. Because I have often in the past raced Ross Murdoch and Craig Benson because we go similar times over the 100 breaststroke and backstroke. So why can’t I come for Peaty?”
Lucy Hope procured her own Scottish record in the 100m freestyle final but was squeezed into third place as Anderson pipped Anna Hopkin by a mere 0.09 secs at the end of their charge for the wall.
Hope’s mark of 54.19 demolished Caitlin McClatchey’s mark which had stood since 2008. Now, the 24-year-old’s Olympic ambitions rest on whether British team chiefs pursue a further attempt to earn a 4x100 freestyle relay start in Tokyo after the top four combined to finish a mere 0.17 secs outside the qualifying mark.
“I still have the 50 on Sunday so after that, I’ll go back and process the meet and look at the positive and negatives and what I can do better,” Hope said. “Hopefully, if they decide to take me to Tokyo, I’ll get my head screwed on and work into the summer and see what happens.”
Ben Proud throttled his rivals in the 50m freestyle in a time of 21.42 secs with Scottish duo Scott McLay and Jack Thorpe fifth and sixth. Once seemingly tabbed for a key role in Japan, McLay’s disappointing results seem likely to cost him even a relay summons with the 21-yearold from Perth managing only eighth in the 100m butterfly as James Guy breezed to victory.
Katie Shanahan and Hannah Miley were fourth and sixth in the women’s 200 individual medley, won by Abbie Wood.