Swimming: Smith bags bronze in Sheffield as National Championships draw to close

Warrender’s Lewis Smith, claimed the bronze medal in the 1500m freestyle on the final day of the British Gas ASA National Championships at the Ponds Forge Pool in Sheffield.

The Edinburgh swimmer competed in the 400m individual medley at the 2009 World Championships – but he showed his ability in the distance event with a time of 15:28.98 behind Daniel Fogg (15:26.96) and Jack Burnell (15:28.46). Stirling’s Lucy Ellis also found form in a new event. The 2010 Commonwealth Games swimmer is better known as a sprint specialist, but she stepped up to the 400m freestyle and won gold with a personal best 4:09.68.

With Rebecca Adlington – who defends the title at the Olympic Games in London in five weeks’ time – opting out, Ellis claimed the title ahead of Anne Bochmann (City of Leeds) and Eleanor Faulkner (City of Sheffield).

In the 100m freestyle, Stirling’s Jak Scott, who swam for GB in the World Championships last year, also set a personal best and claimed the bronze medal in 49.87.

Aberdonian David Carry, winner of the 400m freestyle on Wednesday, was the other Scottish gold medallist this week and he had the added reward of clinching a third Olympic Games place.