World Championships: Angharad Evans – Within Sight of British History But Focusing on The Controllables
Angharad Evans was three when a British woman last won a breaststroke medal at the long-course World Championships.
Evans’ fellow Scot Kirsty Balfour claimed joint silver alongside Megan Jendrick behind the great Leisel Jones at Melbourne 2007. That followed Zoe Baker’s two trips to the 50m podium in 2001 and 2003.
You have to go back to 1978 for Britain’s first worlds medal when Margaret Kelly won 100m breaststroke bronze In West Berlin.
Nor has a British woman ever topped the world long-course podium. Molly Renshaw is the sole champion in the short-course pool with 200 gold at the 2016 worlds but Balfour remains the closest to being crowned world champion in the Olympic-sized arena.
Angharad Evans: Photo Courtesy: Aquatics GB
Evans stands atop the 100m rankings thanks to her 1:05.37 national record at the British Championships as she launched herself into the top 15 all-time, standing joint-14th with Annie Lazor who also clocked 1:05.37 at the US Olympic trials in 2021.
The 22-year-old will expect to be jostling with the likes of Tang Qianting, Anna Elendt, Ruta Meilutyte and Lilly King in the quest for the top of the 100 podium and stands within touching distance of British history.
While acknowledging such a potential outcome, Evans is quick to credit those around her at the University of Stirling and at the national set-up.
She told Swimming World: “That is exciting! I think if I am lucky enough or my hard work does pay off it’s not just a reflection of me but also the team behind me at Great Britain and at Stirling – Bradley Hay, Ben Higson, all the science and sports staff. I think it does us all justice of how hard we work and how hard they work behind the scenes.”
Evans became the first British woman to break 1:06 at the AP International last year, lowering Renshaw’s national record from 1:06.21 to 1:05.54. She’s subsequently gone 1:05 a further four times including the 1:05.85 that secured sixth in the Olympic final on her international debut.
For Evans though, this year has been about process and controlling the controllables.
“In the past I’d say I’ve been chasing times but this season is the first time I haven’t been chasing times, I haven’t been chasing medals, I’ve been focusing on my own swimming and the processes within my race. I dive in and the only thing I’m focused on is what I’m meant to be doing at that certain metre.
“I think that’s worked really well for me because I can’t control what other people swim. I can focus on my own processes and do a 1:04.9 but if three other girls do 1:04.8 then that’s the medal gone and I can’t control that at all. So, what I’ve been working on this season is just controlling what I can control and if medals come to me, that’s great and if they don’t then back to the drawing board and I’ll learn from that.”
Evans took a sledgehammer to her 200 PB earlier this year as she cut it by almost three seconds at BUCS in February in 2:22.64, a time she subsequently lowered to 2:21.86 at the British Championships, elevating her to third performer in the rankings.
l-r: Abbie Wood, Angharad Evans, Eva Okaro & Freya Anderson: Photo Courtesy: Aquatics GB
Her performances over four lengths have come as a major surprise to Evans.
“I’ve always been a sprinter. Saying that, my 50 hasn’t been a focus this year at all. I’m so grateful to have the 200 in addition to the 100, I just felt at the Olympics I had more racing in me. Only being able to race the 100 was a bit strange for me, I’m used to domestic meets where I’m doing all three breaststrokes and relays. So, it’s exciting to have a busier schedule and fully use all the racing I believe I have in me.”
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