A Dubai pupil has returned home from the British Swimming Championships with two gold medals and qualification for this year’s European Junior Championships.
Lewis Burras, 18, a sixth-form pupil at Jumeirah English Speaking School Dubai, powered home to finish ahead of Britain's Olympic silver medallist Duncan Scott to win the men's 100 metres freestyle at the recently concluded championships in the Scottish capital.
Burras, who also won junior gold in the 50m butterfly and silver in the seniors' 50m freestyle, finished in a personal best time of 49.89 seconds, easily within the qualification time for July’s European Championships in Helsinki, and the only swimmer in the final to go under 50 seconds.
The race was hotly contested, with David Cumberlidge and Scott both hot on Burras’ heels at the turn. Though Cumberlidge was barely a fingertip behind at the 50m mark, Burras powered down the final 50m to win the race and take the gold medal.
“It felt great to win, especially racing against these older guys, and I think this is great preparation for next year as I transition from junior and compete on the senior stage," Burras said.
Part of the British Swimming Junior Performance Team, he trains daily before and after school with Hamilton Aquatics in Dubai.
Katie Raybould, the head of aquatics at the Jumeirah school, said of Burras' achievements: “For a junior swimmer to take gold at the men's senior 100m freestyle at the British Championships in Edinburgh last week is a pretty outstanding achievement, especially when he was competing against well-established senior athletes including Duncan Scott who represented Great Britain at the Rio Olympics and was part of the medal winning relay there."
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