2024 Swimming GB Swimming Championships (Olympic Trials)
History was made in the men's 100m freestyle on night three of the 2024 Aquatics GB Swimming Championships (Olympic Trials).
In the final, three people broke the 48-second barrier for the first time, and the relay attracted attention from all over the world.
matt richards Won the gold medal with a score of 47.84 duncan scott (47.92) and tom dean (47.94). alexander cohoon He approached the wall and took 4th place with a time of 48.20 seconds, earning him a relay spot in the Olympics.
For reference, it took 49.42 seconds to advance to the men's 1 free final at the 2023 tournament, but in London this time a speed of 48.75 seconds was required.
The increase in speed caused havoc with the list of all-time British contestants, with four of the top 12 replaced.
One man who improved himself to become the sixth fastest player in American history, david cumberridge.
Cumberridge, 27, from Edinburgh, wowed the crowd with a qualifying swim of 48.16 points and earned the second seed.
With a time of 22.97/25.19, Cumberridge shattered her previous personal best of 48.76. Her previous personal record was established over four years ago at her 2019 World University Games.
Although Cumberridge finished sixth last night, her final performance of 48.41 was well below her personal best and significantly better than the 49.55 she recorded at the 2023 British Championships, where she finished fifth in the B final.
Cumberridge's career began in his teens and has been a winding path. He reportedly gave up swimming at the age of 14, but three years later he returned to swimming.
He made his debut for England at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, helping England win silver medals in both the men's 4x100m free relay and 4x100m medley relay. He finished fourth individually in the 50m free on the Gold Coast.
Since setting a personal record of 48.76 points in the 100m free in 2019, his performance has been relatively stagnant, with his annual best hovering in the low 49s. That was until this tournament, when something clicked and, without warning, sparked Cumberridge's best run of form to date.
Although he failed to qualify in the first free event, Cumberridge's newfound speed bodes well for the 50-meter freestyle later on.
Cumberridge LCM 100 Free Best of the Year Award
- 2019 – 48.76, World University Games
- 2020 – 49.80, Edinburgh International
- 2021 – 50.97, British Swimming Championships
- 2022 – 49.79, Spanish Summer Junior Nationals
- 2023 – 49.55, British Swimming Championships
- 2024 (before this tournament) – 49.57, Edinburgh International
- 2024 (at this event) – 48.16, Swimming GB Olympic Trials
