Ollie Morgan Rattles British 100 Back Record At BUCS Champs

Ollie Morgan Rattles British 100 Back Record At BUCS Championships; Wiffen Twins Share The Podium

Ollie Morgan came within 0.01 of his British 100 back record on the first day of the BUCS (British Universities and College Sport) Championships in Sheffield.

Out in 25.64 and back in 27.07 to stop the clock at 52.71, Morgan was just a slither outside the national mark of 52.70 he set at the British Olympic trials in April last year where he split 25.47/27.23.

The City of Birmingham swimmer went on to finish eighth in Paris in 52.84 before leading off the Great Britain men’s medley relay in 52.83 as the quartet finished fourth.

Morgan’s time comfortably heads the 2025 rankings – albeit we’re only in mid-February – 1.10secs inside Yohann Ndoye Brouard’s 53.81 from the Euro Meet earlier this month.

Bath pair Jack Skerry (55.10) and Hendrik van der Leest (56.15) were second and third respectively.

The three-day BUCS meet at Ponds Forge features many top swimmers who’ve made the trip to Olympic and world podiums. James Guy (1:47.65) and Freya Anderson (2:00.90) headed their respective 200 free prelims with Abbie Wood leading the way in the 200IM (2:11.23) while Luke Greenbank was second in the 100 back in 55.90 but as guest athletes, the quartet didn’t progress to finals.

Wiffen Marks World Title Anniversary

Daniel Wiffen made history exactly a year ago today when he became the first Irish swimmer to win a medal at the long-course worlds with victory in the 800 free at the World Championships in Doha.

He would go on to complete the distance double in Qatar before winning 800 gold and 1500 bronze at Paris 2024.

Wiffen withdrew from the short-course worlds in Budapest in December and on Friday, he returned to competition at BUCS in the longest race in the pool.

He led throughout to head the fastest heat in 15:03.20, more than 29secs off his 14:34.07 PB en-route to the world title in Doha, ahead of twin brother Nathan who was more than 30secs distant in 15:33.73.

Harry Wynne-Jones made it a Loughborough clean sweep of the podium in 15:39.37.

Leah Crisp dominated the women’s 1500 free, to win by more than 17 seconds in 16:30.19. Fleur Lewis was second in 16:47.30 with Michaella Glenister third in 17:05.50.

Gold And Silver For Colbert

Freya Colbert ended the day with a gold and silver. The Loughborough swimmer – fourth in the 400IM in Paris – started her campaign in the 200 free where she led throughout to win in 1:58.27 ahead of Leah Schlosshan (Manchester) who clocked 1:59.57 and Bath’s Jemima Hall (2:01.14).

Freya Colbert: Photo Courtesy: Morgan Harlow/British Swimming

Fellow Paris Olympian Katie Shanahan was ahead from start to finish in the 200IM with the University of Stirling swimmer touching in 2:10.88. Colbert moved into second by the halfway point where she stayed to add silver in 2:11.87 with Leah Schlosshan also booking another trip to the BUCS podium in 2:14.93.

Tyler Melbourne-Smith came from 1.18 behind leader Evan Jones at the final turn of the men’s 200 to take the title in 1:48.93. Jones, of the University of Stirling was second (1:49.14) as he held off Loughborough’s Charlie Hutchison (1:49.29).

Max Litchfield won the men’s 2IM in 2:01.48 ahead of Loughborough teammate Alexander Casey (2:02.77) as Evan Jones claimed his second medal of the day in third in 2:02.97.

Cox Leads Loughborough 1-3

Lauren Cox led from start to finish in the women’s 100 back in 1:00.31 with Stirling’s Holly McGill moving from fourth at the 50 to take second in 1:01.25 followed by Paris Olympian Honey Osrin who made it a Loughborough 1-3 in 1:01.52.

Lucy Grieve pulled away on the second 50 for a 58.34 victory in the women’s 100 fly followed by Edinburgh’s Ciara Schlosshan (58.97) with Keanna Macinnes making it a Stirling 1-3 in 59.31.

Lauren Cox: Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Ed Mildred, of Manchester Metropolitan University, won the men’s title in 52.53 ahead of Bath’s Josh Gammon (52.96) and Brodie Gordon-Gibson (54.19).

Angharad Evans – sixth in the 100m breaststroke in Paris – was the only woman inside 31secs in the 50, touching in 30.98. The University of Stirling swimmer was followed home by Anna Morgan, of Edinburgh Napier, in 31.30 and Loughborough’s Sienna Robinson (31.79).

Archie Goodburn won the men’s 50m breaststroke in 27.55 followed by Greg Butler (27.79) and Panayiotis Panaretos (28.25).

Cox returned to lead off a Loughborough quartet in the mixed medley relay, joining Butler, Laura Stephens and Alex Cohoon as they claimed victory in 3:48.96.