Pershore S.C. surpass all expectations
16 May 2011
Pershore Swimmers in Fine Form
Once again swimmers from the Vale from
This was especially so in the team relays where Pershore were in eight of the 1st and 2nd placed finishes out of their twenty eight top two finishes altogether. The first of these came early on in the boy's eleven and under (11/u) Medley Relay with Drew Jones; Jack Betteridge; Joseph Doyle and Callum Sanderson. This was followed immediately after with great performances from Midland District Championship qualifiers Alison Seward (11) and Doyle (11) for the girls and boys 12 year old backstroke with two more 2nd places. Doyle went on to record another two 2nd place finishes. The 3rd of Pershore's Midland Qualifiers, Tyler McLean (10), brought home the full 6pts when finishing 1st in the 10/u breaststroke becoming the first of many successful swims on the evening.
It was especially heartening for Isobella Woodcock in her first ever gala to record a good time in the 9yr 25m breaststroke with 24.15 coming in 3rd, as did her team in the 9yr 4 x 1 freestyle event later in the evening helped by Daisy Tolley (20.67), Megan Wright (22.88) and Susie Fowler (21.13), Bella recording a fine 19.81.
A fine team effort by Chris Vizard(9); Tom Bailey (9); Josh Sharratt (9) and Simon Sweatman (9) with a great 16.85 once again was rewarded with a 1st place in the 9yr boys 4 x 1 Medley Relay beating last year's team best with 1.23.51. More importantly this result bodes well for the County Relay Championships in June where a combined 9/10 team will take some beating hoping to repeat the gold medal won last year. Sharratt and Sweatman went on to record individual 1st placed finishes throughout the eveing.
Three more 2nd placed finishes followed with Seward in the 12/u fly Drew Jones in the boys fly and once again a supreme team effort in the boys 10/u Medley Relay. This was the prelude of the fourth of the club's Midland District Qualifiers and now National Qualifier, Tazmin Pugh (11) who cruised to a comfortable victory in the 11/u girls back with 34.22 followed again by another half a length victory in the 11/u 50m fly in 34.11 secs a few events later. Other girls having a busy evening and helping their teams to high placed finishes were Ella Spencer, Amy Western, Beth Snape, Makenzie Christys (also 3rd in her 10/u 50m breaststroke and 4th in the 50m fly); Indi Creed-Miles.
Drew Jones (11) recorded two 2nd and a 3rd placed finish in the 12/u fly, 11/u breaststroke and 11/u fly. Sammy Whitehill and Callum Sanderson made valuable contributions helping their team relays to 2nd placed finishes.
Dual impressive victories came in the stand ouot performances of the evening in the 25m 9yr old girls and boys butterfly events with a great swim by Maisy Robertson and Josh Sharratt, followed by 2nd & 1st placed finishes in the 12/u girls & boys freestyle with Pugh missing out on the touch swimming up in the higher age group whilst for the boys Michael Evans also swam superbly to gather another 6pts. For the 9yr boys freestyle a 1st place finish by Sweatman was matched by the 12/u boys team of Jake Spencer, Jack Betteridge, Evans and Doyle coming in 1st in their 4 x 1 freestyle relay once again improving on last year team.
The penultimate 1st place finish came in the boys 12/u 4 x 1 free with McLean also swimming up an age in the 11/u breaststroke backing his selection with a 2nd place. Pugh; Seward; Vizard and Ella Spencer placed Pershore within striking distance of gala leaders Haden Hill, a club boasting a swimmer with seven National Qualifying times. The last two events were a two horse race but in the end Haden Hill on 225pts just pipped Pershore into 2nd place with 222pts, with Coalville (Leics)183pts; Northgate (Shrops) 171pts; Orion (B'ham) 146; and Bromsgrove 117pts.