Colbert and Hutchison Shine as Swim England Winter Championships Wrap Up
The 2024 Swim England National Winter Championships concluded in Sheffield’s Ponds Forge with standout performances from Olympic finalist Freya Colbert and Charlie Hutchison, among others. The competition showcased remarkable swims, new records, and career-best times.
Freya Colbert’s Golden Double
20-year-old Freya Colbert from Loughborough dominated the women’s 200m freestyle and 200m backstroke events, clinching gold in both.
- 200m Freestyle: Colbert clocked a lifetime best of 1:53.91, nearly two seconds ahead of her competitors. Her previous best was 1:54.07 from the European Short Course Championships, making her the 7th-fastest British performer in history.
- Podium:
- 🥇 Freya Colbert – 1:53.91
- 🥈 Medi Harris – 1:55.85
- 🥉 Leah Schlosshan – 1:57.10
- Podium:
- 200m Backstroke: Later, Colbert struck gold again with a personal best of 2:04.78, edging out teammate Honey Osrin and Niamh Ward.
- Podium:
- 🥇 Freya Colbert – 2:04.78
- 🥈 Honey Osrin – 2:05.62
- 🥉 Niamh Ward – 2:07.29
- Podium:
Charlie Hutchison’s Dominance
22-year-old Charlie Hutchison impressed with a dominant performance in the men’s 400m IM, finishing in 4:03.33, over nine seconds ahead of the field. This marks a new personal best, improving on his 4:05.93 from last month. Hutchison is now the 7th-best British performer in history in this event.
Hutchison also collected gold earlier in the 200m IM and 400m freestyle, making him one of the competition’s top performers.
Max Morgan’s Record-Breaking Campaign
16-year-old Max Morgan of Reed’s Swim Club continued his stellar run with a British Junior Record in the 50m breaststroke, clocking a lifetime best of 26.83, surpassing his previous record of 27.10.
- Podium:
- 🥇 Max Morgan – 26.83
- 🥈 Greg Butler – 26.97
- 🥉 Samuel Neeld – 27.01
Other Notable Performances
- Alexander Cohoon: The Olympian doubled up his 50m freestyle gold with a win in the 100m freestyle, finishing in 47.19 ahead of Jordan Colley and Calvin Fry.
- Fleur Lewis: Snagged gold in the women’s 800m freestyle with a time of 8:28.24.
- Ed Mildred: Secured his second gold in the 200m butterfly, clocking 1:54.11, over three seconds clear of the field.
- Georgina Pryer: Took the women’s 100m butterfly title in 57.33, with 17-year-old Flawia Kamzol setting a new British Junior Record of 57.84 for silver.
A Strong Finish
The 2024 championships closed with incredible performances, personal bests, and new records, highlighting the depth of talent in British swimming as athletes prepare for future competitions.
