City Of Coventry Open Meet - 19th Jan 2014
19 Jan 2014
PERSHORE DOMINANT AT COVENTRY OPEN
Pershore Swimming Club came away with an impressive haul of 58 medals and three swimmers won the prestigious BAGCAT top swimmer age group awards at the recent City of Coventry Open Meet held in the international 50m pool in Coventry. The Club also narrowly missed out on the coveted Top Visiting Club award, just missing out on by ten points to Blythe Barracudas.
Hannah Woodcock (9), William Gearey (11) and Naomi Marsden each won their respective BAGCAT age groups.
Woodcock (9) grabbed five gold medals and a silver producing several strong performances during the event. Woodcock won gold in the 200m free (3.00.35), the 50m back (42.17), the 50m breast (50.61), the 200IM (3.14.92) and the 50m fly (40.46) as well as silver in the 200m breast in 3.52.68. Woodcock topped the BAGCAT top girl (9 years) award with 995 points.
William Gearey (11) won 11 medals in total, coming away with five gold, four silvers and two bronze medals. Gearey produced two Midland Qualifying Times in winning the 200m back (2.50.67) and the 100m free (1.09.61) as well as gold in the 50m Back (38.33), the 200m IM (3.00.47) and the 100m back (1.24.72); he won silvers in the 200m free (2.34.79), the 200m breast (3.31.87), 100m breast (1.35.28) and the 50m fly (37.94); and bronze in the 100m fly (1.32.09) and the 50m breast (45.13). Gearey won the BAGCAT top boy (11 years) award with 1066 points.
Naomi Marsden (11) produced several dominant performances to win four golds and a bronze medal as well as snatching the age group title in her last two races on the day. In her favourite stroke, Marsden led from the front on both the 200m back (2.49.94) and 100m back (1.20.55) to win gold against strong opposition. She then added golds in the 50m breast (48.23) and the 200 IM (3.05.03) as well as bronze in the 50m free (34.69) helping her secure the BAGCAT top girl (11 years) with 1736 points.
Patrick Heeks (10) bagged himself five medals producing several new personal bests as well. Heeks secured double gold in the freestyle, winning both the 200m free (2.49.20) and the 100m free (1.15.45); he was just edged into second place in both the 200m back (3.16.95) and 100m back (1.33.92); and he then added bronze in the 200m IM (3.19.97).
Sisters Lauren (9) and Megan Annis (10) were both amongst the medals. Megan won all four 50m events, taking gold in the 50m back (40.18), the 50m breast (46.81), the 50m free (34.55) and the 50m fly (41.41) as well as first place in the 100m back (1.27.19). She then grabbed two second places in the 100m breast (1.41.58) and the 100m free (1.18.45). Younger sister Lauren, competing in her first 50m Long Course competition, produced an excellent swim to get herself on the podium with a bronze in the 50m free (40.56).
In the girl’s 10 year old age category, Charlotte Downey (10) showed good form in the breaststroke despite battling the effects of a cold, taking bronze medals in the 200m breast (3.51.70) and the 100m breast (1.47.88).
In the boy’s 10 year old age group, Jamie Saunders produced a new PB to win gold in the 100m fly (1.39.72) and also added two bronze medals in the 50m free (38.57) and the 50m fly (45.85). Ronan Williams (10) continues to show massive improvement as he secured a podium finish in the 50m back (45.02) to take bronze medal.
Isabella Woodcock (11) produced another superb display in the breaststroke, taking gold in the 100m breast and securing a Midland Qualifying Time along the way. Woodcock then added gold in the longer distance 200m breast in 3.25.49 as well as securing third places in the 50m back (41.92) and the 50m fly (42.74).
In the girl’s 11 year old age group, Isobel Cumming (11) battled her way to an excellent third place in the gruelling 100m fly (1.33.23).
Simon Sweatman (11), who has already secured a string of Midland Qualifying Times, continued to show strong form across the board. Going head-to-head against Pershore team mate Gearey in the 100m breast, Sweatman managed to hold off his challenge with a late surge to take gold in 1.33.78 and then produced a dominant performance in the 200m breast to easily win gold in 3.16.37. Sweatman added gold in the 200m fly (3.04.74) and silver in the 50m breast (43.89).
In the boy’s 11 year old age group, Chris Vizard was also amongst the medals winning one gold and four silvers. Vizard scooped gold in the 50m free (32.91) and was just edged out into second place in the 100m back (1.26.04), the 200m back (2.51.34), the 200m free (1.10.50) and the 50m back (39.02).
In the boy’s 12 year old age group, Josh Sharratt produced an excellent swim to secure third place and a podium finish in the 50m free (34.21) and Jasmine Taite grabbed two medals in the girls’ 13 year old age group with silver in the 50m fly (37.34) and bronze in the 100m fly (1.25.30).
Other swimmers who produced pbs, many competing in a 50m pool for the first time, and just missing out on medals included Tamara Marsden (9), Amelia Gearey (9), Caitlin Yates (9), Cameron Leach (9), Jasmine Hoskins (9), Sophie Thomas (10), Hazel Clay (10), Owen Kirby (10), Ellen Cope (11), William Clarke (11), Emily Burton (15) and Katie Sharratt (15).