Abbie Wood continued her outstanding International Swimming League (ISL) form with a second win of the 2020 campaign on day one of match six in Budapest – and Joe Litchfield also turned in another promising display for the New York Breakers.
Wood, going from strength to strength under the guidance of David Hemmings at the Loughborough National Centre, earned her maiden ISL victory in the Women’s 400m Individual Medley on Tuesday.
Five days later, the 21-year-old added a 200m Individual Medley success to that inaugural triumph, surging into an early lead on the butterfly leg and never relinquishing it. The performance saw Wood set a new British short-course record, as well as ensuring she brought home a huge 19 points for her Breakers team, stealing points from four of her rivals under the new jackpot system.
Only moments before, Litchfield had boosted New York’s hopes of a positive overall result by touching second in the Men’s 200m Individual Medley, building on third-place finishes in that same event in the Breakers’ first two matches.
Later in the night, Joe – a Loughborough training partner of Wood’s – finished well to record a placing of third in the Men’s 50m Backstroke, as he continues to display his strength across the board.
In the women’s event, Georgia Davies was just as impressive over the second 25m, surging to the wall to finish third for reigning ISL champions Energy Standard with a strong swim.
There was also a six-point haul for third for Molly Renshaw in the Women’s 200m Breaststroke, clocking a short-course personal best in the process, with Jocelyn Ulyett – coached by Ian Hulme at Loughborough University – narrowly behind her compatriot in fourth. In the shorter 50m event, Imogen Clarke – who trains under Zoe Baker at Winchester City Penguins – also placed fourth for five points.
Meanwhile, the relays again saw plenty of British involvement, with Wood and Sarah Vasey playing their part in ‘podium’ placings for New York.
First, Wood showed her versatility by putting in a strong leg in the Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay, with her Breakers quartet finishing third.
Then, in the penultimate event of the evening at the Duna Arena, Vasey – who trains under Mel Marshall in the Loughborough National Centre – took on the breaststroke section of the Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay, a race that again finished in a six-point haul and third place for New York’s fastest foursome.
At the halfway stage of match six, Davies’ Energy Standard lead the way with 279 points, 38 ahead of Toronto Titans (241), with New York behind them on 202 and Aqua Centurions in fourth on 150.
This fixture concludes from 3pm GMT on Monday.