The second day of the 2025 British Swimming Championships saw a host of standout performances, from precocious talent to seasoned experience. Whether it was 17-year-old Max Morgan claiming his maiden senior title in the 50m breaststroke, the continued rise of Amelie Blocksidge, or Duncan Scott’s enduring excellence, British swimming looks in safe hands for the years ahead. Here’s a look back at the highlights from day two of the five-day meet.
Max Morgan: youthful brilliance on full display.
After a frustrating second-place finish in the 100m breaststroke on day one, which he admitted was down to nerves and self-imposed pressure, Max Morgan came back with a vengeance in the 50m. The 17-year-old, who already holds the British junior record, flew off the blocks and swam with impressive composure to take his first senior national title in 27.69 seconds. He edged out 24-year-old Archie Goodburn (27.78), who surged in the closing metres but came up just short.
Beyond the winning time, it was Morgan’s mindset and maturity that caught the eye. A name already well known in British swimming circles, he looks set to be a major player this season, especially with the Junior World Championships on the horizon. While the 50m breaststroke does not offer automatic qualification for global events, his performance sets a clear benchmark. The podium was rounded out by another exciting teenager, Filip Nowacki, who at 18 secured a second consecutive podium with a 27.87. Yet Morgan’s preferred event, the 200m breaststroke, is still to come, and you can be sure we haven’t heard the last of him.
Amelie Blocksidge: a long-distance promise built to last.
She may only be 16, but Amelie Blocksidge already boasts a glittering résumé. The reigning national champion in the 1500m freestyle from both 2023 and 2024, she once again proved her calibre with a commanding victory in 16:23.54 – not quite her personal best (16:10.04), but still good enough to break the British age-16 record, erasing Keri-Anne Payne’s 2003 mark of 16:28.49.
Blocksidge took charge from the off, splitting 2:07 at 200m and 4:17 at the 400m, right on pace. Between the 800 and 1200-metre marks, she began to tire slightly compared to her previous best, but her lead was never in doubt. Behind her, Fleur Lewis once again played the role of chaser but never seriously threatened.
Having made her senior international debut at the 2024 Short Course Worlds, where she placed seventh, this performance reinforces her reputation as one of the top distance prospects of her generation. While there remains a significant gap between her and the world’s elite, she may well be in contention for Olympic honours in the near future.
Duncan Scott: the enduring engine of Team GB’s relays.
Duncan Scott has nothing left to prove, yet he continues to push boundaries. The most decorated British Olympian at a single Games delivered a new personal best in the 200m individual medley, clocking 1:54.89, which currently ranks him fourth in the world this season and dips just under the World Championship qualifying time… not that he plans on going.
“I’m looking for my coach – I’ve no intention of doing that,” he joked post-race. The Stirling swimmer was motivated by the form of fellow internationals like Léon Marchand, and the performance didn’t disappoint. After a blistering first half (53.94 at 100m), Scott held on to edge Ed Mildred, who had gone fastest in the heats and lowered his best again to 1:56.21, with veteran James Guy taking third in 1:59.44.
Wood vs. Colbert: a world-class showdown in the 400m IM.
Arguably the most anticipated race of the week, the women’s 400m individual medley delivered in spades. Abbie Wood and Freya Colbert, two of the nation’s leading medley swimmers, went head-to-head in a thriller. Wood took early control, opening a near-two-second gap by halfway, but Colbert, reigning world champion and fresh off her 200m freestyle national title on day one, clawed her way back over the final 100m.
In the end, it was Wood who held on, winning in a personal best of 4:36.66, just ahead of Colbert’s 4:36.83. Both swims were comfortably under the qualifying standard for the Worlds and place them 4th and 5th in the world this year. Behind them, 15-year-old Amalie Smith completed the podium in 4:44.34, just outside her PB but well under the junior qualifying standard. Another bright light for Britain’s medley future.
Katie Shanahan wraps up the night with a thrilling backstroke win.
The final race of the evening offered a last bit of drama, as Katie Shanahan claimed the women’s 100m backstroke in a fiercely contested final. Having already set a PB in the morning heats, she went even faster in the evening, touching in 1:00.03, just shy of the one-minute barrier. Known more for her 200m back and IM prowess, Shanahan showed off her speed over the shorter distance.
World 50m backstroke medallist Lauren Cox had led at the turn (29.16), but Shanahan’s superior back-end strength brought her past in the final 25 metres to win by 0.46 seconds.
While neither swimmer hit the automatic qualification mark for the junior Worlds (59.46), Shanahan remains eligible via World Aquatics’ ‘A’ standard (1:00.46). Third place went to Stirling teammate Holly McGill in 1:00.70, in a race where the top five all finished within a second. European junior medallist Blythe Kinsman was just edged out of the medals in fourth (1:00.80), while Kathleen Dawson, the 2021 European champion, finished fifth in 1:01.01.
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