Bristol - Aqua Sulis Grand Prix - 14th Nov 2014
14 Nov 2014
A seven-strong team from Pershore Swimming Club, aged between 10 and 12 years, travelled down to Bristol at the weekend to compete in the Aqua Sulis Grand Prix, coming away with a staggering 29 podium finishes and smashing personal bests. The competition, a Level One 50m format meet, attracts many of the best swimmers from the South West region and further afield including Bristol, Somerset Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Hampshire.
Hannah Woodcock (10) was in strong form, picking up two gold and three silver medals in the 10 year old age group. Woodcock made it double good in the breaststroke, with excellent first places in both the 100m (1.35.43) and the 200m event (3.20.90). She then added silvers in the 200m IM, producing a new Long Course PB of 3.04.88 and then swam a 39.24 in the 50m back and 33.83 for the 50m free for two further podium finishes. Woodcock also produced pbs in the 100m Free (1.14.32) and the 50m breaststroke (46.27).
Simon Sweatman (12) picked up four medals with a powerful display of swimming in the boys 11/12 age group. Sweatman found he was going head-to-head in many of the events with his team mate, Will Gearey, will the two Pershore swimmers sharing the spoils. Sweatman’s best performance came in the 100m back, producing a 1.14.68 to take the gold. He then added silver in the 400m free with a 5.05.36 and two bronze medals in the 200m back (2.37.11) and the 50m free (29.37). Sweatman enjoyed a good weekend, with strong performances in the 200m IM (2.46.04), 100m fly (1.17.48) and the 50m breast (43.64).
Will Gearey (11) was also contending for medals in the boys 11/12 age group. Gearey produced 14 long course pbs during the weekend and picked up two gold, five silver and two bronze medals. The Pershore swimmer made it double gold in both longer distance events, winning both the 400m free (5.01.77) and the 400m IM (5.45.68). Second places were secured in the 200m IM (2.38.92), 200m free (2.21.55), 100m free (1.04.01), 100m fly (1.14.17), 50m back (34.77), 50m fly (32.35); and bronze medals in the 100m back (1.16.35) and 200m breaststroke (3.07.21)
Megan Annis (11), Patrick Heeks (11), Alexandra Barry (11) and Isabella Woodcock (12), all fairly new to the longer distance format competition, were also in sparkling form and smashing personal bests. All four were unlucky not to podium.
Annis, chasing 2015 Midland Qualifying Times (MQT), produced a series of excellent times including 200m IM (2.57.00), 100m Free (1.10.67), 100m Fly (1.21.97), 50m Back (36.75), 50m Breast (42.40), 50m free (31.88), 100m back (1.19.50), 50m fly (35.37), 100m breast (1.34.35) and 200m free (2.44.49).
Barry, one of the many-up-coming young talents within the Pershore squad, pushed Annis hard all weekend, also producing a very strong set of times. Barry showed grit and determination to produce times that included 200m IM (3.03.13), 100m free (1.14.49), 200m back (3.06.61), 100m fly (1.29.58), 50m back (39.69), 50m breast (48.60), 50m free (34.78), 100m back (1.26.96), 50m fly (37.09), 100m breast (1.44.49) and 200m free (2.45.10). She moved closer towards achieving her first MQTs.
Heeks again continued to knock chunks off his previous times, with another promising performance over two days. Heeks was also chasing 2015 MQTs and should definitely make the qualifying times for next year. Heeks’ times were 400m free (5.30.61), 100m free (1.10.77), 200m back (2.52.65), 50m back (37.20), 50m fly (38.14), 200m free (2.37.44), 50m free (33.74) and 100m back (1.20.29).
Isabella Woodcock looked like she was hitting form again in her favoured breaststroke with some promising times in the early part of the 2014/2015 swim season. Woodcock was edged into fourth in both the 100m breast (1.27.87) and the 200m breast (3.14.53) as well as producing new long course pbs in the 50m back (39.88), 50m breast (39.59) and 50m free (33.96).
Pershore is hoping for another record-breaking year at the 2015 County and District Championships, and the early form suggests that the club is on track to smash previous entry levels.