What’s better than winning a European title once? Winning it twice in one evening, of course.
That’s exactly what Kathleen Dawson was forced to do at the European Swimming Championships on a dramatic, but ultimately golden night for GB in Budapest.
Having already claimed silver in the 50m backstroke and gold in the 4x100m mixed medley relay this week, Dawson appeared to have added the 100m backstroke title to her haul by winning the race in dominant fashion with a Championship record time of 58.18 seconds.
However, having been presented with her medal, Dawson learned that due to the speaker in lane eight being broken – meaning that Louise Hansson of Sweden couldn’t hear the starter’s gun – the race would be re-run.
So, around two hours after winning the race for the first time, the Brit was back in the starting blocks once more but remained unfazed to triumph for a second time by touching in 58.49s, with compatriot Cassie Wild again finishing fifth.
“I’m ecstatic about this win, I’ve been very consistent throughout this competition so I’m happy to see all end well," said Dawson.
"I’m quite impressed with myself, I admit I was slightly disappointed when I found out I had to swim again but my coach told me I could do it again easily! So then I just focused again and got ready to go.”
Dawson’s double victory was by far the most bizarre of the evening but it wasn’t Great Britain’s only success in Hungary as a further two golds, a silver and bronze moved them top of the medal table with two days remaining.
Molly Renshaw led from the off in the women’s 200m breaststroke final and touched in a time of 2:21.34 to take a convincing gold, with fellow Brit Abbie Wood finishing fifth in her first race of scheduled double duty in the session.
"It was a really tough race and hurt, but I'm over the moon," said Renshaw. "I've won bronze and silver medals before but I've always dreamt of winning major events and this gold has come at the right time so it's a great stepping stone towards the Olympics."
GB’s women’s 4x200m freestyle relay team of Lucy Hope, Tamryn Van Selm, Holly Hibbott and Freya Anderson also stormed to gold as they finished more than three seconds ahead of second-placed Hungary in a dominant performance.
Van Selm said: “I’m so happy and excited to be part of this group of girls. I remember watching the relay in 2018 on TV in my home and now it’s unbelievable to be part of this group.
“I’m so honoured to be here and to have done such an amazing performance.”
Meanwhile the men’s 200m freestyle didn’t see a British champion but there were two GB swimmers on the podium as Duncan Scott came home in second, just ahead of Tom Dean in third – with both Tokyo-bound swimmers showing plenty of promise despite not targeting this Championship.
“I’m really happy with this silver,” said Scott. “The time is not far off my best time and the world’s best in 2021.
“This is my seventh 200m race in three days so I was a bit tired. All in all, I’m really happy with this outcome.”
Scott and Dean’s podium finishes helped take Great Britain to a tally of seven golds, five silvers and three bronzes this week – moving them just above Russia atop the medal table.
There were also plenty of British swimmers who booked their place in the weekend’s finals with impressive semi-final swims.
Adam Peaty appeared to be his usual unbeatable self by qualifying fastest for the 50m breaststroke final to keep his hopes of the quadruple-quadruple – four gold medals at four successive European Championships – well on track.
Luke Greenbank also looked imperious as he broke the British 100m backstroke record in the morning’s preliminary races before going even faster in the evening’s semi-final – clocking a time of 1:54.53 to secure the centre lane in Saturday’s final.
Anna Hopkin and Anderson ensured there will be double British representation in the women’s 100m freestyle final, while Wood also booked her slot in the women’s 200m individual medley showpiece with a battling semi-final swim.
Sportsbeat 2021
Photo Credit: LEN Aquatics