PARALYMPIC WORLD CUP
Venue: Manchester Dates: 20-25 May Coverage: Daily reports on the BBC Sport website By Elizabeth Hudson
BBC Sport in Manchester |
 Highlights - Simmonds sets new world record British teenage swimming star Ellie Simmonds showed her class once again with a new world record at the BT Paralympic World Cup in Manchester. The 14-year-old double Beijing gold medallist won the S6 100m freestyle, smashing the old mark by 1.3 seconds. "I knew it was a good swim but I was really, really surprised with the time," she told BBC Sport afterwards. Team-mates Dave Roberts, Sam Hynd and Heather Frederiksen also won golds on the final day of competition. Simmonds and team-mate Natalie Jones both began strongly and although Simmonds was down on world record pace after the first 50m, her endurance background enabled her to storm clear in the second half of the race for victory. The Swansea-based teenager finished in a time of one minute 16.21 secs, beating the previous record of 1:17.43 secs and smashing her previous best by well over two seconds while Jones in second also set a new personal best of 1:20.14.  Dave Roberts celebrated his 29th birthday with a gold medal |
"I knew I had to go out fast and I had Natalie beside me pushing me all the way which helped," added Simmonds. "Because the 400m is my favourite event, I know I can finish strongly, so to break the world record in my second favourite event is really great. "I didn't think I could get a world record here so I'm surprised but delighted. "I need to improve my dives and my turns a lot so I still have plenty of work to do. But every time I get into the water I just try my best." Simmonds was one of a host of Britons who shone on the final day of the competition at the Manchester Aquatics Centre. Her fellow Beijing gold medallists Roberts, Frederiksen and Hynd were also among the winners. Roberts celebrated his 29th birthday with wins in the S7 50m and 100m freestyle to add to his 400m world record set on Sunday. The 11-time Paralympic gold medallist was pushed all the way by compatriot Matt Walker over the shorter distance, finishing in 28.56 seconds with Walker clocking 28.72. Roberts controlled the 100m, leading from start to finish to win in 1:03.34 with American Lantz Lamback second and Walker third.  | It has taken some hard work to get my confidence back up so to come here and do the time I have is unbelievable |
"I usually let Matt lead for 45 metres and then finish it when the work needs to be done, but it's always a good race between us," he said. "There are more exciting ways to spend a birthday but it's good. Neither swim was that good but sometimes at these events, the win is more important than the performance." Frederiksen beat her American rival Jessica Long in the S8 100m backstroke to repeat her Paralympic success and in a time two seconds quicker than her Beijing winning mark. "I was quite nervous beforehand because my backstroke hasn't really gone to plan over the last two weeks in training," the Salford-based swimmer said afterwards. "It has taken some hard work to get my confidence back up so to come here and do the time I have is unbelievable and the fact that I am quickening all the time is very encouraging for the rest of the year "It helps having Jess race beside me and it is always good to beat your rivals but I always expect her to come back and be strong." Hynd triumphed in the S8 400m freestyle but his time of 4:27.50 was over a second outside the world record he set in Beijing last September. | 606: DEBATE |
There were also wins for Rhiannon Henry (S13 100m butterfly), Charlotte Henshaw (SB6 100m breaststroke), Jim Anderson (S2 50m backstroke) and Louise Watkin (S9 50m freestyle). South African Natalie du Toit, who is aiming for selection for the open water event at this year's able-bodied World Swimming Championships in Rome in July, after making her Olympic debut in the event last year, triumphed in the 100m freestyle, beating Watkin and fellow Briton Stephanie Millward into second and third. "For me it was important to come and represent my country and show my support for the event," said du Toit, the winner of five Paralympic golds in Beijing. "Back home we wish we had the sort of opportunities that the British team has and it is really bringing the sport up. "I came here not knowing what to expect because the open water training is so different to training for a 100m event. "It wasn't my greatest race and I probably didn't give it everything, but to come and compete was important."
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