13 Year Old Amelie Blocksidge Becomes National Runner-up With 8:38.33 800 Freestyle

2023 BRITISH SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, April 4th – Sunday, April 9th
• Prelims at 9:30 am local (4:30 am EDT)/Finals at 6:00 pm local (1:00 pm EDT)
• Ponds Forge, Sheffield
• LCM (50m)
• World Championships Qualifier
• World Championships Selection Criteria
• Draft Entries
• Day 1 Recap
• Live Results
• Livestream

13-year-old British swimmer Amelie Blocksidge just took another 0.81 seconds off her best time and British Age Record in the 800 freestyle. She swam an 8:38.33 to place second overall at the 2023 British Swimming Championships. This swim got Blocksidge under the 8:39.14 13-year-old Age Record she set earlier in 2023 at the 2023 Swedish Grand Prix.

Her time in Sweden shattered the former record of 8:48.54, which she and Ceri Unwin shared. Blocksidge had swum that time in 2023, while Unwin’s came almost two decades ago in 2005. Blocksidge has now taken over 20 seconds off her best time this season. At the 2022 British Swimming Championships, she swam an 8:59.33 PB, which was almost 10 seconds quicker than her best before that of 9:08.33.

Amelie Blocksidge 800 Freestyle Time Progression

• 9:08.33 – April 2022 (Sheffield)
• 8:59.33 – July 2022 (Sheffield)
• 8:48.54 – February 2023 (Liverpool)
• 8:39.14 – March 2023 (Kungsbacka)
• 8:38.33 – April 2023 (Sheffield)

Blocksidge got into the wall as the second-fastest swimmer behind British champion Freya Colbert. Colbert hit an 8:35.02 to hold off her competition and establish a new personal best. Neither of the top two finishers here got under the British Swimming World Championships qualifying standard of 8:19.00 or the secondary consideration standard of 8:26.34.

Blocksidge entered into six events at these British Swimming Championships. She started off with the 400 IM in which she placed 7th overall in the A final with a 4:53.53. She then placed second in the 800 freestyle and has yet to race the 200 fly, 400 free, 200 IM, and the 1500 freestyle.