European junior champion Pavoni comes of age in 400m medley

From Chris Cottrell, Sportsbeat, in Sheffield

EUROPEAN junior champion Roberto Pavoni came of age at the British Gas Swimming Championships to clinch the 400m individual medley title in Sheffield.

SURPRISE CHAMPION: European junior champion Roberto Pavoni scoops the British title after a world leading time (Getty Images)

The 19-year old qualified second fastest for the final on Thursday morning, with defending champion and Commonwealth record holder Thomas Haffield leading the way at Ponds Forge.

But Pavoni was saving his best for the final, pulling clear in the breaststroke leg before powering home in the freestyle to win in 4:14.55 minutes - the world leading time this season by more than two seconds.

Despite clocking a personal best 4:15.61 mins, Joe Roebuck had to settle for silver for the second consecutive year with Haffield another 1.84 seconds back in third.

But 24-year old Roebuck insisted he would he would have the better of Pavoni should his time be good enough to join the youngster at August's European Championships in Budapest.

"I was happy with the swim," said Roebuck, who qualified fifth fastest for the final.
"It was a really tough race but it was a personal best and an all-round good effort so I have to be pleased.

"Unfortunately Roberto was the better man today and I take my hat off to him. But with a full preparation I am pretty sure I can come back and beat him."

In the men's blue riband 100m freestyle, Adam Brown retained his title after flattering to deceive in the qualifiers.

The 21-year old, who is based at Auburn University in the USA, was fifth fastest qualifier for the final and hadn't ducked under 50 secs all season.

But Brown took advantage of a relatively slow race to claim gold, finishing in 49.64 secs ahead of Grant Turner and Ross Davenport.

Commonwealth champion and British record holder Simon Burnett was nearly 0.5 secs slower than his semi final effort but his time of 50.03 secs was good enough for fourth to guarantee a 4x100m relay spot at the Europeans and Commonwealths.

Meanwhile, Liam Tancock and Michael Rock produced dominant semi final performances to lead qualifying in the 100m backstroke and 100m butterfly respectively.

Tancock has been building up to the 100m all Championships and after storming more than a body length ahead, took his foot off the pedal to drift home in 54.84 secs.

Scottish teenager Ryan Bennett powered home in the last 50m of his semi final to qualify second fastest in 55.56 secs with 200m backstroke runner-up Chris Walker-Hebborn third fastest for Friday's final.

Defending champion Rock was even more comfortable in his 100m butterfly semi final, leading all qualifiers by more than a second after stopping the clock at a season's best 52.36 secs.

Last year's runner-up Antony James was second fastest again while Andrew Maylor progressed third fastest.

IN PICTURES: DAY FOUR FROM THE BRITISH GAS SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS IN SHEFFIELD

The nation's leading energy supplier British Gas is the Principal Partner of British Swimming, and have pledged £15m to support the sport at all levels - from paddling pool to podium. For more information visit www.britishgas.co.uk/swimming