Gloucester Open Meet 2013
25 May 2013
Pershore swimmers TAKE ON the BIG GUNS at
Gloucester
Pershore Swimming Club sent
a small team of eight to compete in the Level 2 Gloucester Open, coming away
with five gold medals, three silvers, two bronze, a Midland Qualifying Time (MQT)
and 29 personal bests. The Gloucester
meeting, one of the most competitive in the Midlands, sees many of the bigger
city clubs such as Bristol and Cardiff sending 40-strong teams.
Isabella Woodcock (10) was
on top form during the Open Meet and again proved she is a force to be reckoned
with in the breaststroke winning gold and silver medals. Woodcock won gold in the Girls 10 year old
50m breaststroke in a new PB of 41.18 seconds and then followed this
performance with silver in the Girls 10 year old 100m breaststroke in 1.30.03
and another pb but more importantly securing her first Midlands Qualifying
Time. She also produced two more pbs in
the Girls 10 year old 50m Back (40.53) and the 200 IM (3.15.63).
Younger sister Hannah
Woodcock (9), one of the many rising stars in the Pershore team, continued to
show that she is an exciting prospect, with an excellent third place in the
Girls 9 year old 50m Breaststroke in 50.26 seconds against some strong
opposition. Hannah also produced pbs in
the Girls 9 year old 50m Back (42.62) and the 200IM in 3.31.06 seconds.
Naomi Marsden (10) was
again dominant in the backstroke, and showing the sort of form that will
hopefully see her chasing the medals at the forthcoming Midland
Championships. Marsden won two gold
medals in the Girls 10 year old 50m and 100m Back, with a pb of 37.46 seconds
in the sprint distance and 1.20.25 in the longer event.
William Gearey (10) won two
gold medals, two silver and one bronze as well as producing eight pbs in all
his events. GeareyÆs best performance
came in the Boys 10 year old 400m, taking first place in 5.23.23 seconds and
taking 11 seconds off his previous best time. He then took gold in the Boys 10 year old 50m freestyle in 32.08 seconds
(pb), winning on the touch. Gearey also
won silvers in the Boys 10 year old 200m back (2.56.50 pb) and 200m IM (3.02.22
pb) and bronze in the 200m breaststroke in 3.35.93 (pb).
Patrick Heeks (9) produced
two excellent swims in the Boys 9 year old events against very strong
opposition from much bigger clubs. Hicks
produced a fine swim in the 50m freestyle, coming sixth in a time of 39.02
seconds (pb) and then another good performance in the 50m backstroke in 43.38
in a very credible fifth position.
Elizabeth Vizard (14) was
also in fine form during the Open Meet, producing four pbs in all her entered
events. Vizard posted 32.32 (pb) in the
Girls 14 year old 50m freestyle, 2.30.76 (pb) in the 200m freestyle, 3.02.78 in
the 200m breaststroke and 5.50.95 in the 400m IM. Younger brother Chris also produced a new pb
in the Boys 11 year old 100m freestyle in 1.15.78.
Isobel Cumming (10)
produced a series of good swims to record six new pbs across the weekend. Cumming clocked 37.34 seconds in the Girls 10
year old 50m freestyle (37.34), the 200m freestyle (2.56.42), the 50m back
(44.22), the 100m back (1.33.48), the 200m back (3.14.69) and the 200m IM
(3.25.88).
Tom Naughton, PershoreÆs head
coach, said: "This is one of the tougher
meetings on the calendar and attracts strong competition from the bigger clubs
in the South West and the Midlands. To
come away with so many podiums, pbs and another swimming with a MQT is a
fantastic result. Our swimmers produced
some fantastic swims over the weekend, and I was especially pleased for
Isabella to get her first MQT.ö
Pershore has three swimmers
set to compete in the Midland Age-Group Championships held at Coventry in June
this year, with Simon Sweatman, Naomi Marsden and Isabella Woodcock all
qualifying. Sweatman has six MQTs in the
10-11 year old age group and will be gunning for gold in the 100m backstroke û
an event he currently sits at number one for his age in the UK. Marsden is competing in the 100m backstroke
and Woodcock the 100m breaststroke û both in the 10-11 year old age group.
Ends