Action from Day 5 of the UK Swimming Championships

Another sultry night at Ponds Forge in Sheffield (straight from the Crucible so the lenses needed a bit of time to adjust) at the UK Swimming Championships.

 Lily Boseley, City of Sheffield - Womens Junior 50m Backstroke

 Georgia Davies, Loughboro Uni - Womens Open 50m Backstroke

 Elliot Clogg, City of Sheffield - Mens Junior 50m Freestyle

 Ben Proud, Plymouth Leander - Mens Open 50m freestyle

 The start of the Womens Junior 400m freestyle

 Nikki Miller, East Kilbride - Womens Junior 400m freestyle

 Isobel Grant, City of Sheffield - Womens Target Toyko 400m freestyle

 The start of the Womens Open 400m freestyle

 Jazz Carlin, Bath Uni - Womens Open 400m freestyle

Holly Hibbott, Stockport - Womens Open 400m freestyle

 The start of the Mens Junior 200m IM

  The start of the Mens Open 200m IM

Max Litchfield, City of Sheffield - Mens Open 200m IM

 The start of the Womens Junior 200m IM

 Amy Bell, City of Sheffield - Womens Junior 200m IM

The start of the Womens Target Tokyo 200m IM

 The start of the Womens Open 200m IM - Siobhan-Marie O'Connor in Lane 4 was subsequently disqaualified as she was adjudged to have moved at the start

 Siobhan-Marie O'Connor sees the DQ on the board and Hannah Miley in Lane 5 is handed the title

Action from Day 1 of the UK Swimming Championships

The UK Swimming Championships made a welcome return to Sheffield which, already hosting the World Snooker and with League One winners Sheffield United playing at home, made it a good week for the hotel industry....

 Elliot Clogg, City of Sheffield - Mens Junior 50m Backstroke

 James Oxborrow, Loughboro Uni - Mens target Toyko 50m Backstroke

 Chris Walker-Hebborn, Bath Uni - Mens Open 50m Backstroke

 Rebecca Burton, Co Peterboro - Womens Target Toyko 50m Breaststroke

 Nikki Miller, East Kilbride - Womens Junior 200m Freestyle

 Eleanor Faulkner, City of Sheffield - Womens Open 200m Freestyle

  Eleanor Faulkner, City of Sheffield - Womens Open 200m Freestyle

  Start - Mens Junior 400m Freestyle

  James Guy, Bath Uni - Mens Open 400m Freestyle

  Amy Bell, City of Sheffield - Womens Junior 400m IM

 Amber Keegan, City of Sheffield - Womens Target Toyko 400m IM

 Amber Keegan, City of Sheffield - Womens Target Toyko 400m IM

 Hannah Miley, Aberdeen - Womens Open 400m IM

  Hannah Miley, Aberdeen - Womens Open 400m IM

  Hannah Miley, Aberdeen - Womens Open 400m IM

  Adam Peaty, Loughboro Uni - Mens Open 100m Breaststroke

   Adam Peaty, Loughboro Uni - Mens Open 100m Breaststroke

   Adam Peaty, Loughboro Uni - Mens Open 100m Breaststroke

   Adam Peaty, Loughboro Uni - Mens Open 100m Breaststroke

   Adam Peaty, Loughboro Uni - Mens Open 100m Breaststroke

  Adam Peaty, Loughboro Uni - Mens Open 100m Breaststroke

Gearing up for the World Snooker Championships

One week today and the 2016 World Snooker Championships sponsored by Betfred will be under way at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield with Stuart Bingham defending his title.

Almost as soon as 'The Nap' finished it's run at the Crucible last Saturday, the theatre staff started moving out of the venue so that it could be prepared for the competition with rooms emptied and paint refreshed and the scenery set for another World Championship.
 

The qualifiers are running now at Ponds Forge - I watched Jimmy White recently when he came agonizingly close to making it through the first round.

The last pre-event before the Championship itself will be the Cue Ball on Friday 15th April - the thirteenth time this has been held, at the St Paul's hotel.

And now for something completely different....

In a change to the advertised sports programmes, here are pictures of trams crossing the bridge outside Ponds Forge in Sheffield.

Put on some relaxing music and enjoy.

World Snooker qualifiers - update on some former champions

Peter Ebdon, champion in 2002, will miss out again on a return to Sheffield's Crucible this year after losing in the World Championship second qualifying round.  He lost 7-10 to Grimsby's Stuart Carrington

A view of the main hall at Ponds Forge with its 11 tables

Six-time finalist Jimmy White defeated James Wattana 10-3 in the first qualifying round to keep his dream of a Crucible return alive, but although he started 7-2 in his second-round match to Matthew Selt eventually lost 10-8.

Table 1, main hall Ponds Forge

Six-time World Champion Steve Davis beat Jamie Cope 10-9 on the last black in his first round qualifier.  He later bombed out 10-1 to Kurt Maflin after losing a one-sided morning session 8-1.   

Ken Doherty progressed again - after beating Lee Walker 10-6 he will next face Mark Davies.