The 16-year-old from Norfolk set a short course British record in the MC 100 metres freestyle at the Nationwide Junior and Youth Swimming Championships in Sheffield last week, and followed up her success in the same event on the long course in Leeds, with a time of 1min 00.99sec to add another record and another gold medal to her growing collection.

Chloe Davies and Natalie Massey came in second and third respectively, finishing nearly four seconds behind the Paralympic champion.

Elsewhere, Applegate's fellow London 2012 gold medallist and fellow Member of the British Empire (MBE), Jonathan Fox claimed victory in the 100m backstroke; the same event which saw him take gold at London 2012 and silver at Beijing 2008.

"I'm really pleased with that race." said the 21-year-old

Paralympic champion Jonathan Fox took gold at the British Gas International Meet in Leeds

"It was a second faster than I went in Swansea recently so things are looking good for the World Championship qualifications.

"I'm trying to focus on the 400m freestyle and the 100m backstroke at the moment.

"Unfortunately I lost my 400m freestyle record in London so I want to push to get that back but backstroke has always been my best really."

The 16-year-old Hannah Russell claimed her first gold of the meet in the MC 100m backstroke, edging out Applegate and Davies in second and third respectively.

"I'm really happy with my race." said Russell, who won silver and bronze at London 2012.

"I was just off my personal best pace but I'm still really pleased."

"Having two back-to-back swims is hard and a lot of us were in the same boat but I just tried to pretend it was like training where we do max swims with a short rest."

Dan Pepper, who boasts two World Championships gold medals and four European Championships titles,, won the MC 100m freestyle in a time of 56.42, holding off training partner and fellow S14 swimmer Ben Procter in 56.53.

The 400m freestyle S7 London 2012 gold medallist Josef Craig took bronze in 1.02.86.

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