British Swimming Championships 2025 success
The University of Birmingham was proud to have an incredible thirty swimmers take on the very best at the 2025 British Swimming Championships last week — and what a week it was. Across six days of top-class racing at the London Aquatics Centre, our team delivered personal bests, broke club records, and made finals, showing exactly what it means to be a Birmingham athlete on the national stage.
Ollie Morgan shines on the national stage
Leading the way was Sport Scholar Ollie Morgan, who produced a phenomenal series of performances to claim three British titles in the 50m, 100m and 200m Backstroke. His winning time of 52.20 in the 100m Backstroke not only set a new British Record but would have been fast enough to secure a silver medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Ollie’s swims ranked him number one in the world for the 100m and number two for the 200m so far this year, earning World Aquatics Points scores of the highest calibre and qualification for the upcoming World Championships.
Ollie’s class and consistency stood out all week, delivering personal bests across all three distances against Britain’s best. His outstanding backstroke technique and competitive spirit, honed through years of hard work at Birmingham, were clear to see. His success is a powerful reminder of what can be achieved with belief, teamwork and a fearless approach to racing.
Personal bests, records and breakthrough performances
Alongside Ollie’s outstanding achievements, the team racked up an impressive list of successes. Across the meet, Birmingham swimmers delivered 21 personal bests, set 13 new club records, and made 9 B Finals – a remarkable achievement at a competition where the depth of talent is so high. It was fantastic to see first-year students making finals for the first time, seasoned athletes stepping up to new levels, and a sense of excitement around every swim.
Special mention goes to Poppy Baybutt, who was named our internal Swimmer of the Meet after recording three personal bests and breaking two University records, including a brilliant 100m Butterfly where she dipped under her previous best for the first time in two years. Meanwhile, Dan Cox made huge strides in distance freestyle, slashing 21 seconds off his 1500m time and producing a twelve-second best in the 800m. Sprint specialists Shakil Giordani and Tommy Liddiard also made their mark, with Shakil winning the B Final of the 50m Butterfly and setting a new club record, and Tommy making his first ever British final in the same event.
Coaching Excellence and Team Spirit
Behind every great swim is a great team, and we were delighted to see Head Coach Gary Humpage recognised by the British Swim Coaches Association with the Coach of the Day award on Friday, in recognition of the incredible performances from our squad, particularly Ollie’s world-leading swims. Gary said:
“It was fantastic to see so many of our swimmers stepping up at the highest level of competition in the country. Delivering personal bests at a meet like this is never easy — the pressure, the level of competition — but our team raced with inspiration and courage. They climbed the rankings, challenged the best, and showed what Birmingham athletes are all about. We believe in working closely with our swimmers, giving them the confidence to race fearlessly and the support to learn and grow from every opportunity. That’s the secret to success.”
Gary also acknowledged the brilliant support of Alex O’Neill, who assisted with warm-ups and athlete care across the week. With a team of thirty swimmers, Alex’s reliability, positivity and commitment made a huge impact and helped create an environment where the athletes could thrive.
A team to be proud of
The 2025 British Swimming Championships have shown that Birmingham is a place where ambition is nurtured, performances are celebrated, and every swimmer is given the opportunity to excel on the biggest stages. We are so proud of every member of the team for their spirit, determination and achievements throughout the week.
We can’t wait to see what this talented club will do next.
