Dreams of Gold
Bronze earns Jackson second Beijing berth
JO Jackson sealed her second
Olympic berth yesterday after a
gutsy bronze in the 200m
freestyle final at the British
Championships.
The Northallerton-born star
clocked 1.58.77 minutes in a starstudded
final to add a relay spot
to the 400m individual event she
bagged earlier in the week.
The 21-year-old edged out
Olympic veteran Mel Marshall to
claim her place on the podium,
but had to settle for third behind
British record holder Rebecca
Adlington and Commonwealth
gold medallist Caitlin Mc-
Clatchey.
Jackson, who recorded a personal
best time of 1.58.58 minutes
in the heats, had failed to qualify
for the 800m individual event on
Saturday after only claiming
bronze.
She said: "I was absolutely gutted
not to have qualified for the
800m.
"I'd made it in the 400 and
swam really well, so I was really
hoping to do the same in the 800
but it just wasn't there.
"I couldn't get too disappointed
because I had the 200 to think
about and I knew I could get a big
personal best in the heats.
"But it is a really special time
for British swimming and I'm delighted
to be involved.
"We watched the Australian
trials and some of the European
ones and they are strong. But we
have shown them this week that
we are one of the best teams in
the world.
"The relay team have definitely
improved and we hope to do
well out there."
Meanwhile, Borough of Stockton
swimmer Jemma Lowe
couldn't add freestyle success to
her butterfly achievements on
the final day.
Lowe, who had already qualified
for the 100m and 200m butterfly
events, finished fourth in
the 200m freestyle B final in a
time of 2.02.39 minutes.
But the 18-year-old refused to
get downhearted after an impressive
week in Sheffield.
"It's a bit of a low-key way to
end," said Lowe, who broke the
British 100m butterfly record last
week.
"The 200 is just a bit of a fun
event for me so I'm not too concerned
about it.
"I was so nervous about the
butterfly events so once I'd got
those out the way I could relax.
"At the moment it is a mixture
of a lot of emotions - relief, excitement
about the Olympics,
pretty much everything. I can't
believe I am going."
Stockton-born Jess Dickons
rounded off her British Championships
campaign by finishing
first in the 400m individual medley
B final, while Newcastle's Andrew
Mayor finished ahead of the
pack in the men's 200m butterfly
B final.
9:43am Monday 7th April 2008
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