Peter Allen shattered the Manx 200m butterfly record at the Speedo Aquatics GB Swimming Championships recently. 

In what is proving to be a record-breaking season for Manx swimming, this followed hot on the heels of Alexander Turnbull’s 50m breaststroke Manx record at the Edinburgh International.  

The British championships, held at the London Aquatics Centre - famously the venue for the London 2012 Olympic Games swimming events - doubled as the Olympic trials.  

Allen opened up the championships for the Manx team in style by breaking his own 200m fly Manx record by more than a second to clock 2 minutes 6.57 seconds.   

This saw Allen take a very impressive 34th place - all the more impressive as only around the top 70-80 swimmers in Britain in each event qualify to compete at the championships.  

The men’s 100m freestyle was next up, with Joel Watterson unlucky to be drawn in the toughest lane of the most difficult heat - proven by the fact that four swimmers from the heat made the main ‘Paris’ final.  

Not to be deterred, the fast-swimming inspired Watterson and pulled him along to a rapid 51.24 clocking, only half a second outside his own Manx record and securing 45th position out of a field of 74 swimmers.  

Joel Watterson also performed well at the championships
Joel Watterson also performed well at the championships (-)

The following morning saw Watterson and Allen competing in the 100m butterfly event. Allen achieved a new lifetime best with a time of 55.64 seconds, securing a commendable 34th place.  

Watterson also performed strongly with a time of 56.32 seconds, only a tenth of a second shy of his personal best, earning him 57th place overall.  

In addition to the 100m free and 100m fly, Watterson also qualified to swim in the blue riband 50 freestyle event.   

Watterson had another excellent swim and was again narrowly outside his Isle of Man record in clocking a rapid 23.59 seconds, placing 43rd in an incredibly strong field which was separated by only two seconds from first to last position.  

The strength in depth of the field was demonstrated by the fact that World Championships and Commonwealth medallist Lewis Burras could only manage sixth place with his 22.44, while City of Manchester’s Commonwealth Games medallist Jamie Ingram was 24th in 23.31.   

Laura Kinley was unfortunately injured and unable to compete at the trials, but she is returning to fitness and was expected to compete at the Manchester Open the weekend before last.  

Also expected to swim at Manchester were Isle of Man Swimming club teammate and backstroke specialist Libby Curphey, as well as Harry Robinson and Kiera Prentice, swimming for University of Stirling and City of Manchester Aquatic respectively.  

Several of the island’s leading junior swimmers from the Utmost Wealth-sponsored Isle of Man Swimming Club also took part. 

VANESSA CHRISTIAN