Spofforth Wins Three Medals, Lowe Captures Gold at European Championships
Monday, August 16, 2010 | Women's Swimming & Diving
Former Gator swimmer Gemma Spofforth (West Sussex, England) captured three medals this past week at the 30th LEN European Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Fellow British teammate and rising UF junior Jemma Lowe (Hartlepool, England) also took home a gold medal in Europe's largest biennial swimming event.
Spofforth, the reigning world record-holder in the women's 100-meter backstroke, won the finals of the women's 100 back this past Thursday with a time of 59.80. Two days earlier, Spofforth (2:08.25) finished second to British teammate Elizabeth Simmonds (2:07.04) in the finals of the women's 200 back.
Lowe joined Spofforth on the medal stand on the final day of competition Sunday, helping lead Great Britain to gold in the finals of the women's 400-meter medley relay. Lowe was part of the Great Britain squad that won the prelims by almost two seconds, while Spofforth swam the lead backstroke leg in the finals of the event. Lowe competed in the 100-meter butterfly and 200 fly earlier in the week.
Also competing in the weeklong meet for the Gators was Spain's Melani Costa-Schmid (Palma de Mallorca, Spain). The junior competed in the women's 200-meter freestyle prelims and the women's 400 free prelims.
Senior Balazs Gercsak (Budapest, Hungary) was the lone male swimmer in Budapest representing the Orange and Blue, competing in the prelims of the men's 200 fly and men's 200 free, as well as the 800-meter freestyle relay prelims, as part of the Hungarian squad. The two-time Olympian swam competitively in his hometown for the first time in his UF career.
The 30th edition of the LEN European Championships was held from Aug. 4-15, in Budapest, Hungary. The meet is traditionally known as one of the premier swimming competitions in the world. Budapest hosted the event for the fourth time (1926, 1958, 2006 and 2010).
Gator fans can watch an interview with Spofforth by clicking here.
Florida Medals
Name Medal Event
Gemma Spofforth* Gold 100 Back
Gold 400 Medley Relay (Great Britain)
Silver 200 Back
Jemma Lowe Gold 400 Medley Relay (Great Britain)
* Former Gator
-UF-
