06 Oct 2015

In the recent English Schools Swimming Association (ESSA) Inter-Divisional Short Course Championships in the City of Leeds, Will Gearey and Tazmin Pugh were selected by the West Midlands and all performed superbly well adding 45pts out of possible 48pts plus relay pts for the team.

In his first West Midlands representative swim twelve year old William Gearey, a member of Pershore SC for the last seven years was in action in his two individual events during the first afternoon.  Gearey presently a pupil at St Egwins Middle School had previously showed off his talent in the ASA English Home Nations Champs in August when he was the only 12 year old boy to reach the double age 12/13 50m fly finals.

In his first event in Leeds Gearey proved his quality in taking the opposition apart in the 100m freestyle recording 0:58.72 earning the Region the maximum 8 pts with a new ESSA record ducking under one minute barrier for the first time and remaining number one in the UK end of year rankings for 12 year olds and 9thall time best in the UK for a 12 yr old.

Gearey’s second event came in the 100m fly where he finished 4th in 1:07.75, following this by helping his 4 x 100m Medley relay team to Bronze medal with 4:33.38 proving once again why he won eleven medals in the Midland Champs and 16 medals in the Worcestershire County Champs. On the final day Gearey joined his junior team mates to win the 4 x 100m free relay in a new ESSA record breaking time to also take the overall boys junior team award.

Fifteen year old Tazmin Pugh who has recently been enrolled onto Pershore Swimming Club’s hall of fame by being given honory membership and now a pupil at Ellesmere College.. In her first event Pugh competed as the youngest swimmer in the 100m fly in the multi-age 15/16/17 year group though this did not phase her coming through strongly over the second 50m to win by two body lengths in a new Regional Junior and ESSA Record time of 1:00.78 remaining 1st in the UK rankings and the 2ndquickest of ‘All Time’ for a 15 yr old missing the British record by just 0.2 of a second.

In the 200m fly Pugh led from the start increasing her dominance throughout to win by 4.5 seconds in another new Regional Junior and second ESSA Record time of 2:10.22, number one in the UK and is now the fastest of ‘All Time’ for end of yr 15 yr old. 

Now at the head of the European ranking in the 200m fly for 15/16 yr olds, Pugh has just returned with a six medal record haul from the multi sport Commonwealth Youth Games in Samoa where she helped England take second place behind Australia in both the pool and overall.


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