Brittany swims to her fourth title
Swimming sensation Brittany Horton produced a personal best to win her fourth consecutive title at the British Summer Championships.
The 16-year-old, from Brierly Hill, recorded a time of just over one minute and one second in the final of 100m backstroke.
Horton, who represents City of Birmingham Swimming Club, finished in joint first place despite competing in the 17-18 age bracket at the championships held in Sheffield.
Team-mate Chloe Finch, 17, from Rowley Regis, also tasted success after claiming the silver medal in the 200m freestyle.
Horton is due to fly out to New Zealand next month to contest the Youth Commonwealth Games.
And she admits her fourth national title is the perfect preparation as she prepares to join up with Team England.
"I am absolutely delighted to have won," she said.
"I really didn't expect too. Competing against girls that are older than me, I went into the race thinking more about my time than a place. But when I realised I'd finished in joint first place with a personal best I was over the moon.
"It was the perfect result because all my training is being geared to me hitting top form in New Zealand.
"That is my main aim, I'm really looking forward to the Youth Commonwealth Games.
"But to claim a fourth straight national title was amazing. It really wasn't something I was expecting which made it even more pleasing."
Horton is now gearing herself up for four weeks of intensive training before she jets off to the Youth Commonwealth Games where she will compete in the 50m, 100, and 200m backstroke.
"The majority of the next four weeks will be spent in the pool or in the gym," she said. "I know there is a lot of hard work ahead but I'm looking forward to it all.
"It's such a great opportunity to be able to go out and compete in New Zealand that I'm going to make sure I give it everything I can."
Carl Grosvenor, from Cannock, Horton's coach at Birmingham Swimming Club, added: "Brittany did fantastically well to claim her fourth national title. She produced a performance that we were expecting from her once her training programme is complete.
"It bodes really well because her focus has always been the Youth Commonwealth Games."
