City of Coventry Open Meet - Jan 2015
25 Jan 2015
Alexandra
Barry from Pershore Swimming Club secured her first ‘Top Girl’ award at the
City of Coventry Open Meet at the weekend in the international 50m pool, while
the 28-strong team also put in a strong performance winning 66 medals.
Barry (11) claimed eight medals over the weekend including six gold
medals and closed in on several Midland Qualifying Times (MQTs) producing a
string of personal bests. Victories for
Barry came in the 200m IM (2.53.49), 50m free (33.23), 100m back (1.22.68),
200m back (2.51.49), 400m free (5.23.33) and the 50m fly (35.74). Barry also snatched silver medals in the 200m
free (2.37.32) and 100m free (1.13.08) to claim the prestigious award for her
efforts.
Chris Vizard (12) was unlucky not to win the Top Boy award, just being edged into second place, bagging a staggering 11 medals. Gold medals for Vizard came in the 100m free (1.06.41), 50m free (30.50) and 100m fly (1.16.82), and he had to settle for silver medals in the 200m back (2.49.29), 50m fly (34.27), 200m free (2.29.52), 50m breaststroke (41.62), 100m breaststroke (1.30.41), 200m fly (2.53.25) and 100m back (1.19.39). Vizard also grabbed third place in the 200m IM (2.47.01).
There were plenty of other swimmers getting onto the podium during the weekend, with numerous swimmers producing new PBS and lowering their County or Midland Qualifying Times.
Jasmine Franks, one of several rising stars amongst Pershore’s ranks, produced an excellent swim to win the
100m breaststroke in 1.40.50 to take gold in the 10 year old age group. Franks also added a silver medal in the 50m breaststroke (47.71) plus bronze medals in the 100m free (1.16.45) and 50m fly (40.59). Caitlin Yates was also in contention for medals in the 10 year age group, taking silver in the 100m breaststroke (1.40.99) and bronze in the 50m breaststroke (48.17).
Megan Annis claimed three medals in the 11 year old age group, winning 50m breaststroke (41.70) and being edged into second place in both the 100m breaststroke (1.32.39) and 200m IM (2.53.80). Naomi Marsden (12) won gold, taking first place in the 200m IM (2.50.49) and 100m back (1.16.18). Isobel Cumming, also 12, claimed bronzes in the 400m IM (6.34.05) and 200m fly (3.24.43).
In the older age groups, Amy Cooper and Hannah Simister enjoyed successes in the 13 year age group. Amy Cooper bagged five medals including gold in the 200m fly (3.07.19), while bronze medals came in the 100m free (1.09.07), 200m back (2.51.58), 50m fly (35.52) and 200m IM (2.56.43). Hannah Simister produced a massive PB to snatch gold in the 200m breaststroke (3.21.04) and then went on to win bronze in the 50m breaststroke in 42.89. Beth Carter, although not producing a new PB, secured bronze in the girls 15 year and over 100m breaststroke in 1.26.47.
Competition was fierce within the boys 11 and 12 year old age groups, with several Pershore swimmers battling for honours.
Patrick Heeks (11) was again in excellent form, winning golds in the 100m free (1.12.70), the 200m back (2.52.67), the 200m free (2.43.07) and the 200m fly (3.02.19). He then took silver in the 100m fly in 1.20.74 and bronze in the 400m free in 5.32.95. Jamie Saunders managed to bag three medals. Saunders was brave enough to tackle the gruelling 400m IM and was rewarded with gold and a new PB time of 7.07.82. Saunders then took silver in the 200m fly (3.28.21) and bronze in the 100m fly in 1.35.67.
Kieran Cooper (11) swam to an excellent first place in the 100m back (1.25.47), snatched silver in the 50m free (34.02) plus won three bronze medals in the 100m free (1.16.27), 200m IM (3.03.23) and 50m breast (47.51). Ronan Williams was also amongst the medals for Pershore in the 11 year age group, winning silver in the 100m back (1.28.78).
Simon Sweatman (12) managed four straight victories in the 400m free (4.56.62), the 200m fly (2.49.56),the 200m IM (2.40.34) and 50m breaststroke (41.48), while Will Gearey (12) took gold in the 100m breaststroke in a new Long Course pb of 1.26.78 plus silver in the 400m free (5.04.57) and third place in the 200m fly (2.58.65). Luke Perry, also 12, bagged himself four medals with silver in the 50m back (38.37), and bronze in the 200m back (2.54.74), the 200m breastroke (3.25.38) and 100m back (1.21.66).
Amelia Gearey (10) achieved her first CQT in the 100m breaststroke with a new pb time of 1.46.87, while Owen Kirby (11), William Clarke (12), Ben Clarke (15), Gabriella Barry (10), Tamara Marsden (10), Jasmine Hoskins (10), Lauren Annis (10), Hazel Clay (11), Charlotte Downey (11) and Sophie Thomas (11) all producing personal bests or just missing out on podium finishes.