Published: 15 March, 2012
by STEVE BARNETT

RECORD-BREAKER Leo Jaggs has been selected to represent Great Britain after catching the eye at the 2012 British Swimming Championships and Olympic Trials.

Held at the brand new Aquatics Centre in Stratford, the 18-year-old set two new personal best marks to earn a place in the GB junior team traveling to Antwerp this July to take part in the European Championships.

Leo had a lightning fast 0.68 reaction time in the 100m freestyle, taking the first 50m out in a blistering 24.65 secs before recording a return speed of 26.83 secs to finish with a long-course personal best of 51.48.

He was rewarded for his efforts with a third-place finish, touching home just a hundredth of a second off the winning time and shaving 1.3 seconds off his previous best of 52.78.

Leo, who trains at Camden Swiss Cottage Swimming Club, also swam a personal best in the 50m freestyle to finish fifth with a time of 23.87 secs.

Delighted director of swimming at Camden Swiss Cottage, Dave Hobbs, said: “This was a great performance from Leo and a just reward for a swimmer who started with the club at the age of four.

“He gradually progressed to our Top Squad, where he has been completely focused on following the coaching programme during the last year.”

Camden team-mate Bogac Ayhan, who represented Turkey at last year’s European and World Junior Championships, swam the 100m backstroke at the trials.

The 18-year-old came within 0.4 secs of his personal best as he posted a time of 57.82 to finish in a very creditable fifth place.