Boldmere Open 16/17 Nov 2013
16 Nov 2013
PERSHORE YOUNGSTERS PLUNDER PODIUM AT TOP LOCAL
MEET
Pershore Swimming Club sent their
biggest squad of the year to compete at the Boldmere Open Meeting in
Birmingham, coming away with a staggering 65 medals, over 100 County Qualifying
Times (CQT) and 10 Midlands Qualifying Times (MQT) in total. Pershore also managed to finish second in the
top visiting club category behind Leamington and ahead of City of Birmingham.
The Boldmere Open attracts some of
the best age-group swimmers from around Birmingham and the West Midlands,
running Level 2 (higher) and Level 3 (development) events alongside each other
in Junior (9-11), Intermediary (11-13) and Senior (14 and over) categories.
Katie Sharratt, Angus Jones and
Emily Burton were amongst the medals in the Senior Level 3 category. Sharratt was in excellent form across the
weekend, claiming eight medals and the coveted Top Girl of the Meet award. Sharratt took first places in the 50m back
(37.39), the 50m fly (35.30), the 100m fly (1.19.74) and the 50m free (32.60);
silver medals in the 100m freestyle (1.11.28), the 200m fly (2.56.03) and the
200m free (2.34.02) and a third place in the 200m IM (2.55.15). Burton grabbed a bronze in the 100m back
(1.21.76) with another strong performance.
Jones added to PershoreÆs haul at
senior level, grabbing four medals during the meeting. JonesÆ first gold of the day came in the 400m
free with an excellent time of 4.56.30 and he soon added another top podium
finish powering to victory and a CQT in the 200m back (2.29.98). Jones also took gold in the 100m back
(1.08.71) as well as claiming bronze in the 100m free in 1.03.60 û both times
were CQTS.
In the Intermediate Level 2
category (11-13), Simon Sweatman and Naomi Marsden were amongst the medals,
despite having to compete against much older, highly-ranked district swimmers.
Sweatman (11) claimed an
impressive haul of ten medals and also scooped the Top Boy of the Meet
award. Sweatman bagged four first places
in the 50m fly (33.38), the 200m back (2.38.88 MQT), the 100m fly (1.17.60),
the 200m fly (3.00.10); two silvers in the 400m free (5.00.88 MQT) and the
200IM (2.42.72 MQT); and four bronze medals in the 200m free (2.21.70 MQT), the
100m free (1.04.47 MQT), the 50m back (34.36) and the 100m back (1.13.64 MQT).
Mardsen had another excellent swim
in her favoured 100m back stroke event, taking bronze in a new personal best of
1.16.69 and narrowly missing out on a MQT for 2014 as well as beating several
of her main District rivals. Marsden
currently tops the County rankings for end of year in the 100m back and has
done for the last two years in her age group.
Chris Vizard claimed silver in the
Level 3 Intermediate 100m fly (1.34.90) and Isobel Cumming claimed bronze in
the same event (1.34.91). Isabella
Woodcock (11), although just out of the medals, swam a superb 1.30.13 in the
100m breaststroke to ensure her place at next yearÆs Midland District Swimming
championships. There also several County
Times and pbs produced by Helena Leach, Hannah Simister and Josh Sharratt in
the Intermediate events.
In the Intermediate Level 2
category (9-11), William Gearey and Megan Annis were medal winners for Pershore
with Gearey dominating his age group by winning an incredible 11 golds from 11
events.
Gearey (10) took first places and
secured four MQTs in the 400m free (5.16.55 MQT), the 50m fly (37.05), the 200m
back (2.51.33 MQT), the 50m breast (44.25), the 200m free (2.29.72 MQT), the
50m free (30.87), the 100m breast (1.36.21), 100m free (1.08.39 MQT), the 200m
IM (2.55.77), the 50m back (37.71) and the 100m back (1.21.41). He also finished second behind Sweatman in the Top Boy category.
Annis (10), one of many
up-and-coming stars of the club, grabbed six medals in total. Annis won gold in the 50m free (33.23) plus
silver in the 100m breast (1.37.68). She
also grabbed bronzes in the 100m back (1.28.13), the 50m fly (39.43), the 200m
back (3.05.02) and the 50m breast (45.49).
In the Intermediate
Level 3 category (9-11), there were a host of Pershore swimmers getting on the
podium.
Ronan Williams (10)
won three golds in the 200m back (3.27.62), the 50m back (42.54) and the 100m
back (1.34.51) as well as bronze in the 50m free (38.50). Patrick Heeks (10) won golds in the 400m free
(6.03.97) and 200m free (2.52.05) in massive personal bests and bronze in the
50m breast (53.09); Jamie Saunders (10) gold in the 100m fly (1.37.73) and
silvers in the 50m fly (43.00) and the 200m free (3.08.04). Luke Betteridge (10) got silvers in the 400m
free (6.35.18) and 100m free (1.30.13) plus bronzes in the 200m IM (3.39.85)
and the 200m breast (4.05.18). Cameron
Leach (9) secured bronze in the 50m fly (45.79).
Alexandra Barry (10)
secured golds in the 50m back (44.36) and 50m free (36.59), plus silver in the
400m free (6.46.52) and bronzes in the 100m breast (1.58.01) and 100m fly
(1.48.96). Macey French (10) took silver
in the 100m back (1.32.06), Hannah Woodcock took third place in the 50m fly
(41.15) and Olivia Howard grabbed third place in the 50m free (39.52).
Other Pershore
swimmers just missing out on medal or producing PBS included Hazel Clay,
Charlotte Downey, Jasmine Franks, Hamish Cross, Amelia Gearey, Owen Kirby and
Sophie Thomas.
Tom Naughton,
PershoreÆs head coach, said: "IÆm
delighted by the performance of the whole squad and winning so many medals is a
staggering achievement. We will have a
record number of swimmers competing in the Worcester County Championships in
March and hopefully at least five in the Midland District Championships in
June. The future looks very promising!ö
Ends.