New Welsh swimming sensation Chloe Tutton believes she can go faster after putting herself on the cusp of Olympic selection.
The 19-year-old City of Cardiff swimmer is in pole position to make the GB squad for Rio de Janeiro this summer after beating rival Molly Renshaw at the British Swimming Championships in Glasgow on Wednesday night.
Tutton smashed the British women’s 200m breaststroke record by a second-and-a-half and improved her lifetime best by more than three seconds by winning in a time of 2:22.34.
While she is technically short of the automatic Olympic qualifying time, the result should earn her a spot under the secondary selection standards.
The Rhondda teenager now believes she can swim even faster and said: “I am greedy and I always want more. I just want to push myself and get the best times I can.
“I can’t put in into words how glad I am. To beat Molly, who is a brilliant breaststroker swimmer, and do that time is just fantastic.
“I always want to get better and that can be a problem sometimes. But I’m very happy with this achievement.
“It’s my dream to go to the Olympics and I would love to make the team, but it isn’t in my hands.”
Tutton finished a body length ahead of silver medallist Renshaw (National Centre, Loughborough) while Georgia Coates (City of Leeds) claimed her second bronze in Glasgow behind the pair.
Tutton will now await the decision of Team GB selectors, who are due to announce their choices later this month.
Swansea Aquatics swimmer Adam Mallett toasted a career first as he claimed his maiden British title, edging ahead in the closing stages of the men’s 200m butterfly final from lane two.
Mallett was third at the final turn but produced a storming final 50m to touch home first ahead of Mark Szaranek (Edinburgh University) and Jay Lelliott (Bath University).
“Being the British champion was something that I wanted to achieve. It is a stepping stone for me and hopefully I can keep on moving forward in the next few years,” said Mallett.
“I want to start making senior international teams and keep moving forward and one day win medals. I am a bit older than most but for some people it takes longer to get there.”