CHARLOTTE Manning has reached the final of the 200m breast-stroke on the very last day of competition at the Commonwealth Youth Games in India, writes Kathryn Lundy.
The 14-year-old swam her heat in 2.50.50 – around half a second away from her PB – to qualify in eighth place.
General team manager Paul Huddlestone said: ‘Charlotte is very happy to have reached the final, although she has qualified in eighth place which means she will be swimming in an outside lane, so that will make it difficult for her. She will certainly be hoping to challenge for a PB, although there is still around eight seconds between her and the third-seed, so I really think there is a remote chance of a medal. However, the whole team is very pleased to have its first swim finalist, and everyone will be heading to the pool this afternoon to cheer her on.’
JJ Gallichan also had a good swim this morning in the 50m freestyle, setting a new PB in 25.28 seconds, but it was not quick enough to make the final and he finished in 17th place. There was further frustration for Emma Glendening and Gallichan’s brother Tom, who were unable to take home any PBs from the Games. Glendening swam 29.13 seconds in the 50m freestyle to place 23rd, and Gallichan swam 26.30 seconds in the 50m freestyle to finish 26th, and 30.88 in the 50m backstroke to place 22nd.
Guernsey’s Heather Watson, however, is guaranteed to win a medal tomorrow after she made it through to the final of the girls’ singles tennis competition. Watson, who was seeded fifth in the tournament, knocked out Indian second-seed Poojashree Venkatesha in this morning’s semi-final, in straight sets 6-2, 6-1. She will now face another Indian player in the final tomorrow, seventh seed Kyra Shroff, on centre court.
