Six-time Paralympic champion Bethany Firth has broken her own world record for the S14 100m backstroke at the Dutch National Championships in Eindhoven.
The new record of one minute 04.02 seconds bettered the previous mark of 1:04.05 set almost 10 years ago in the Paralympic final when she picked up a gold medal in Rio.
This was the targeted meet for the GB Paralympic swimming team this year and the 30-year-old’s result secured her funding for next season when the World Championships will take place. It will also be a year out from the LA Paralympics which are the longer-term target for GB Swimming.
The Dutch championships were the targeted meet for GB Swimming as there had been uncertainty when, or if, the European Championships would be held this summer.
The IPC have allowed Russia back into competition but certain countries are not allowed to compete against them inside of Europe because of government policy.
GB Swimming are not restricted in this manner but because it took some to decide whether the Europeans would go ahead in Turkey, they went down a different route so their swimmers could prepare properly.
As a result Firth’s season will finish at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow later this month where she will defend her S14 200m freestyle title.
The 100m backstroke is not part of the Commonwealth Games programme.
