Pershore have excellent Arena performances
17 Oct 2012
Pershore swimmers have excellent performances
In their first round of the National Arena League Pershore Swimming Club had to draw on the compelling talent of their younger swimmers but for the first time in many years had entered a league in which many of their senior swimmers could take part. This is the premier league in the country and had to enter at div 3 level hoping to win promotion at the first time of asking. Swimming against hosts Rugby together with Solihull, Blythe Barracudas, Aylesbury and Luton, Pershore club did so in some style in which the town and surrounding villages would be proud of.
In the very first event of the evening 23 year old Chloe Naughton brought home a valuable 4pts in a 3rd place finish in the 200m Individual Medley (IM) in a time of 2:45.44. Pershore High School's six form pupil James Gribble started his own busy evening in the Open section finishing with a time of 2:39.88 in the same event. Pershore's first top place podium finish came in the 11 and under (11/u) boys 4 x 50m freestyle made up of William Gearey; Chris Vizard and Abbey Park Middle School pupils Josh Sharratt and Simon Sweatman in an impressive time of 2:15.76.
The foursome in the 13/u girls Medley relay of Ella Spencer; Hannah Kenwright; Tazmin Pugh and Casarena Ferreira quickly followed this with 2nd place finish only marginally slower than the boy's 13/u relay team of Owen Leeks; Drew Jones; Jake Spencer and Sweatman in their 1stplace finish in their relay. Another 2nd place came Pershore's way in the Open age group (16+) in the 4 x Medley Relay from Cara Lee; mother of five Helen Annis; Pugh and Naughton.
Even with these good results Pershore were lying in 4thplace early on and had to hope their swimmers in the individual races could come up with the goods. With Naomi Marsden's 2nd (40.13) and Josh Sharratt 3rd (41.62) in the 11/u backstroke and brothers Drew Jones 3rd (1:22.94) in the 13/u 100m breaststroke and Angus Jones 2nd (1:12.94) in the 15/u 100m back the club set about their task well. A 1stplace from Naughton in the Girls Open 100m fly (1:14.81) and another 1stfrom Josh Sharratt in the boys 11/u 50m fly (39.82) helped the club to start the climb to 2nd place behind Blythe which a 2nd place finish from Blackminster pupil Owen Leeks (1:20.83) in boys 13/u back and a 1stplace from twelve year old Pugh (1:09.50) in the 15/u fly helped keep Pershore in the hunt. Tazmin Pugh though swimming no pb's, was to compete in five relays and three individual events all of which she won on the night.
Isobella Woodcock (10) showed excellent form (44.26) in the 11/u 50m breaststroke coming home 2nd in a time of 44.26 whilst Pugh brought home gold again in the 13/u fly. Harry Sykes took time out from training with the Great Britain Pentathlon squad taking 3rd in the 100m free and 1stplace in the 100m breast in (1:01.79), whilst two more 1st placed finishes from Sweatman (31.40 who also competed in five relay races) and Pugh in their individual freestyle races together with a 2nd place from Drew Jones (1:12.67) in his boys 100m free looked like securing a 2ndplace finish overall from a powerful Blythe team, but it came over the loudspeakers the club had at this point narrowly slipped to 3rdplace overall.
In the final eight relays the club had to stay ahead of the Rugby team in aas many races as possible and started well gaining three more 2ndplace finishes and another 1st place from the all conquering four 11/u boys in the 4 x Medley Relay of Sweatman; Vizard; Sharratt and young William Gearey still only 9 years of age. With more pb's and great swims coming from Xander Jacques, Alex Dobell, Katie Sharratt, Lizzie Vizard, Megan Tolley played their full part in this excellent performance turning in 30 top three place finishes from the 50 events in the programme.
Special mention must be made of Pershore High School twins Jake and Ella Spencer swimming eight events between them and Drew and Angus Jones swimming six events each during the evening all delivering great results.
Two more 3rd places did indeed secure 2ndplace with 198 pts with Blythe on 243, whilst Rugby took 3rd with
185pts, Aylesbury 4th 157pts, Luton B 144pts and Solihull B 118pts.
The club proved once again that when the chips are down Pershore always show fight and determination
to win through.
Ian Pugh photo