Swimming: Dream Olympic chance for Lowe

Apr 2 2008 The Journal

TEENAGE Olympic hopeful Jemma Lowe landed the key to Beijing during a whirlwind week at the British trials in Sheffield.

In the space of 18 hours, the Borough of Stockton swimmer:

:: SLASHED 2.5 seconds off the British 200m butterfly record in a heat,

:: CATAPULTED herself to number two in the world this year and into the all-time top 10,

:: CELEBRATED her 18th birthday with an early night,

:: WON yesterday’s final to book her ticket to this summer’s Olympic Games in China.

But it was also a bittersweet experience for Lowe, whose friend and Stockton training partner Jess Dickons could manage only third in the final.

With only two berths available for most events, Dickons now looks unlikely to go to Beijing despite being one of four girls who recorded the qualifying time.

Lowe, whose British record-breaking heat time of 2:06.64 was a personal best by three seconds, said: “When I looked up at the clock, I thought at first it said 2:08 and thought, ‘That’s a good time’. My previous best was 2:09. When I looked again and saw 2:06, I was shocked.

“I must be the only person in the world who has gone to bed at 9pm on their 18th birthday. But I didn’t sleep as I was so excited – and nervous about having to do it again next morning.”

She needn’t have worried. Although she could not repeat her record-breaking feat from the heat, her winning time of 2:07.61 was enough to hold off Beckenham’s fast-closing Ellen Gandy, 16, whose second place proved so costly for Dickons.

Lowe said: “I’m thrilled for myself by gutted for Jess. We’ve both had injuries over the last few months but sometimes after a setback you can come back stronger and that’s what I think happened with me. It’s a relief to get qualification out of the way and it takes the pressure off for my favourite event, the 100m fly, which starts on Thursday.”

Former 100m freestyle British record-holder Mel Marshall saw her chances of qualifying for the Olympic squad hit after she was excluded from the final at the trials for failing to report for the race on time. The 26-year-old was waiting outside the call room – where swimmers are required to report before their race – rather than inside it and was deemed to have not registered.

As a result, a reserve was drafted in and Marshall, part of the British 4x200m relay squad that recently claimed European silver in a Commonwealth record time, was excluded from the race – which was won by Caitlin McClatchey.

Although she would not have been under consideration for an individual spot as she did not achieve the Olympic qualifying time in Monday night’s heats, Marshall had been targeting a spot in the 4x100m relay squad.

As it stands she must now hope to qualify either in the 200m or the 100m backstroke and she could, at national performance director Michael Scott’s discretion, come under consideration for a relay spot.