4 Silver Medals at IPC Swimming World Championships

8th December 2006

Victorious Kelly pupils Claire Cashmore, David Hill and Louise Watkin will be returning from Durban with four Silver Medals between them - one each for David and Louise and two for Claire - huge congratulations to all three.

Comments from ASA website:

Claire Cashmore received a welcome boost with silver in the SB8 100m Breaststroke. The Kelly College student lead the field at the half way point but lost out to Denmark's Sisse Egeborg on the final sprint and finished in 1:27.98."

I really wanted gold and it was so close," she said. "At 50m I knew I was in front and I thought I had it but I messed up my finish.

"I'm pleased to get silver though - I've been so frustrated with my performances here. I've been working so hard and I didn't feel like it was paying off, but now I've got the medal it's a big boost and I'll aim to get Sisse back in Beijing."

European records tumbled in the 34-point Medley relays as both Britain's teams took silver. The boys brigade of David Hill (Kelly College), Callum Lawson (Nova Centurion), James Crisp (City of Sheffield) and David Roberts (Swim Swansea) romped home behind world record-breaking Australians for silver in 4:28.26 and the women's troupe of Kate Grey (Thornbury), Claire Cashmore (Kelly College), Rachael Latham (Horwich Leisure Centre) and Louise Watkin (Kelly College) bagged silver in 5:14.56.

Earlier tonight youngster Watkin took on disability swimming legend Natalie Du Toit in the final of the S9 100m Freestyle. Watkin lowered the British record for the second time in one day to finish a very credible fourth in 1:07.55.

"I lost it on the finish," she said. "I was so close to the wall but I tried to take another stroke. But to break the British record twice in one day is just amazing. I've PB'd in all my races here so far and I hope that continues for the rest of the meet."