Bronze medal joy for Britain at European Junior Swimming Championships

July 3, 2019

Great Britain claimed two bronze medals on the opening day of the European Junior Swimming Championships in Kazan.

The Men’s 4x100m Freestyle relay team had qualified comfortably from the morning’s semi-final and were led out by Archie Goodburn and Northampton Swimming Club’s Edward Mildred in the final.

The pair had Britain in contention, but it was a blistering swim of 49.14s by Matthew Richards on the third leg that put them in the podium positions.

14-year-old Jacob Whittle – of Derventio Excel Swim Squad (and Ripley Rascals) – was tasked with leading the team home and he never looked like relinquishing their place.

The Derventio Excel Swim Squad member dipped under 50 seconds on the final leg to seal the bronze for Britain, who finished in 3:19.88

Jacob makes his debut at this event, competing in the 50m Freestyle, 100m Freestyle (qualified for the final last night too), 200m Freestyle and 50m Butterfly.

At the British Championships, 14-year-old Whittle made headlines by lowering his own age group national record in the 100m Freestyle, swimming a blistering 50.40 seconds in the heats.

More @ www.swimming.org/sport/relay-bronze-britain-european-juniors

And: https://swimswam.com/2019-european-junior-championships-day1-finals-live-recap/

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Congratulations to Jacob and the team from everyone at RASCALS!

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Update from Leanne Whittle – 5th July

“Jacob has the 100m Free finals tonight and is seeded 5th so who knows what could happen! He also broke the 50 second mark yesterday on 100 free going 49.97 which is a huge landmark and lowers his own British record. 

He was in the mixed 100m freestyle relay heat and final yesterday too and the team came in 4th just missed out on a medal! The team had 2 x 15 year old girls, 1 x 16yr old boy and Jacob at 14, so was the youngest team by far as other nations are swimming 17/18yr olds. 

He should have been competing in 4 x 200m freestyle relay heats today and they would have made the final tonight but British swimming have pulled the team out as 3 of the team have individual finals tonight (including Jacob) and all are in contention for a medal possibly, so they want them to concentrate on their individual events.”