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Breaking records is Howard’s way

Dave Lawrenson
27/12/2007

RICHARD Howard was given the perfect Christmas present – smashing a world record in only his second official meeting as a disabled swimmer.

The 19-year-old from Worsley took five seconds off a 200 metres butterfly world record at the Bradford Christmas Meet, clocking 2mins 31.34secs.

And he also achieved his original target for the Bradford event by setting a new British record in the 100m backstroke, taking two seconds off the old record with a time of 1min 16secs.

Howard, who lost the use of his right arm following a coach crash in 2004 but was only granted official disabled swimmer status less than three months ago, said: "Breaking a world record means an awful lot to me. All of the hard work I have put in over the years has paid off.

"I went into the Bradford meeting just trying to break the British record in the 100m backstroke so I was really shocked to break the world record in the 200m butterfly.

"It was only my second official meeting as a disabled swimmer. In my first, I broke one European record and two British records at the Short Course National Championships in Sheffield.

"I am really pleased with all of this success and it will spur me on to carry on trying to get what I want in the future.

"I want to compete in next year’s Beijing Olympics. The trials for that start in April.

"And I’ve always wanted to break the British record in the 100m butterfly. With the way I’ve been going I’m sure that I can do that one day."

The Buile Hill High School teaching assistant was representing the City of Salford Swimming Club in Bradford.

His Salford coaches Peter McGowan and John Stout are said to be ‘over the moon’ with Howard’s world record success.

And his next event will be the Burns Open Meet in Sheffield on the weekend starting Saturday, January 18.