British Gas International Swimming Meet 2014: Siobhan-Marie O'Connor signs off with third gold in Manchester
By Sam Drury
Last Updated: 26/06/14 1:39pm
Siobhan-Marie O’Connor won her third gold medal of the British Gas International Swimming Meet by cruising to victory in the 200m freestyle final in Manchester on Thursday.
Having triumphed in the 100m freestyle and 200m individual medley yesterday, O’Connor was at it again as she blew the field away to win the 200m freestyle by a distance.
The 18-year-old Bath swimmer finished almost two seconds clear of runner-up Rebecca Turner (1:59.24) in a time of 1:57.28 having asserted her dominance early on.
A British champion in the event, O’Connor had built up a lead of almost a second after just 50m and the gap only continued to grow as she reached halfway in just 56.59.
Turner fronted the chasing pack but if any gains were made in the final stages of the race, they were minimal.
It means O’Connor finishes the meet, her last before next month’s Commonwealth Games, on a high and heads to Glasgow in the form of her life.
Earlier, the GB swimmer just missed out on a medal as she came fourth in the 100m backstroke final.
O’Connor made a good start and was third at the turn. However, the Sky Academy Sports Scholar was just edged out in the closing stages as Elizabeth Simmonds took the gold medal in 1:01.01.
Silver went to Loughborough’s Georgia Davies (1:01. 69) with Jessica Fullalove of Manchester (1:01.88) claiming bronze ahead of O’Connor, who’s time of 1:02.40 was just 0.05 seconds shy of her personal best.
