Swimming: Jamieson and Gilchrist face tough battle

Michael JAMIESON and Kris Gilchrist were clubmates at City of Edinburgh swimming club and they now train together in Bath. Tonight, the two Scots face a battle to qualify for the 200m breaststroke at the London Olympics.

Only the top two from the final of the British Gas British Championships at the London Aquatics Centre have a chance of selection. And Jamieson and Gilchrist are joined in the mix by a third Bath man in England’s Andrew Willis.

Glasgow-born Jamieson, fifth in last year’s World Championships, led after the semi-finals in 2min 11.47sec, with Gilchrist, the 2008 Olympian, making it as third fastest in 2:13.22. Willis split them in 2:11.87.

On Sunday, Jamieson just missed out on qualification when he finished third in the 100m behind Daniel Sliwinski and Warrender’s teenage sensation Craig Benson, 17, and he admitted: “It’s going to be tough. Andrew and Kris are both world-class but there are only two Olympic places available.”

Benson made it to the semis but the Livingston lad failed to make it into another final with a time of 2:15.67.

Scotland’s Hannah Miley made sure of two individual swims when she won the 200m individual medley last night – she had already bagged the 400m title last Saturday.

In the 200m freestyle, Scot Caitlin McClatchey won silver 1:58.07 behind Sheffield’s Rebecca Turner, who clocked 1:57.65.