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Oliver Morgan Takes Down Liam Tancock’s Supersuited 100 Back British Record (Video)

2024 AQUATICS GB SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS (OLYMPIC TRIALS)

20-year-old Oliver Morgan continued his ‘hitting a personal best every time I swim’ era tonight in London.

Racing in the final of the men’s 100m backstroke, the Birmingham Uni star crushed a new career-quickest time of 52.70 to take the gold and establish a new British national record.

His time erased the longstanding supersuited mark of 52.73 Liam Tancock put on the books at the 2009 World Championships.

Morgan has been building into this performance over the past year, although this morning’s prelims-leading 52.87 marked his first-ever foray under the 53-second barrier. Entering these championships, Morgan’s personal best rested at the 53.26 produced at the 2023 World Championships.

His 52.87 morning effort rendered him Great Britain’s #2 performer, but now his 52.70 puts him ahead of the rest and into the history books as the fastest Brit ever.

Top 5 British Men’s LCM 100 Backstroke Performers All-Time

  1. Oliver Morgan – 52.70, 2024
  2. Liam Tancock – 52.73, 2009
  3. Christopher Walker-Hebborn – 52.88, 2015
  4. Jonny Marshall – 53.03, 2024
  5. Luke Greenbank – 53.34, 2021
Morgan’s Final Time Morgan’s Prelims Time Previous PB
25.47 25.54 25.59
27.23 27.33 27.67
52.70 52.87 53.26

Morgan’s time easily cleared the Aquatics GB-mandated selection standard of 53.68 needed to add his name to the Olympic Games roster.

Runner-up status tonight went to Jonny Marshall. The Florida Gator who represents Carnegie on home soil produced a huge PB of his own, checking in with 53.03 for silver. That crushed the 53.47 he logged this morning behind Morgan and also easily cleared the QT. Side note, he donned a Gators cap tonight.

Rounding out the podium was Luke Greenbank who touched in 53.82.

Also impressive was 18-year-old Scottish swimmer Matthew Ward who took 4th place. Ward’s time of 54.10 lowered his own newly minted British Age Record.

In addition to Morgan’s new record standing out as an accomplishment on its own, it’s especially promising for the British men’s medley relay. The opening backstroke leg has been a point of weakness for the nation. However, both Morgan’s and Marshall’s time, paired with Adam Peaty‘s 57.94 head-turning 100m breast performance, bodes well for what the squad can do this summer.

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Facts
7 months ago

Adam Peaty finally gets his backstroker

Alison England
Reply to  Facts
7 months ago

Now it all hinges on whether James Guy’s ‘fly is still great. (Peters not so good in relays, even if individual time might be better).

Sub13
7 months ago

This is great news for GB! Their medley is looking pretty solid right now (he said through tears of jealousy)

han qihao
7 months ago

For China, I hope butterfly will not be too far behind, the other three strokes of China are world-class players, butterfly is a big hidden danger for us to compete for gold, I hope butterfly has a good performance

Dan
7 months ago

Would Marshall ‘s 53.03 not make the Top 5?

PFA
Reply to  Dan
7 months ago

He’s #4 all time I think a mistake was made

Chas
7 months ago

400 MR just became on of the likely great races in Paris, 3 maybe 4 teams in contention

Anything but 50 BR
7 months ago

The splits for 53.26 add to 52.26. Maybe the back half was 27.67?

Retta
Reply to  Anything but 50 BR
7 months ago

Fixed!

Mark O
7 months ago

Oh yes, the Medley relay gold is on the horizon 🇬🇧

Alison England
Reply to  Mark O
7 months ago

Still a very tough call.

Mark O
Reply to  Alison England
7 months ago

Yep but certainly doable

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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