05 Sep 2012

Pershore Swimmers conquer Sheffield Pool.

Pershore Swimming Club sent a 20-strong team up to Sheffield in South Yorkshire at the weekend to compete in the 28th Dukeries Open held at the international swimming pool at Ponds Forge. The local swimmers were competing against tough opposition rivals from Yorkshire and the rest of the England, with swimmers coming from as far as Corby, Kettering and Scarborough.

With the team ranging in age from 9 to 14 years, for many of the young swimmers it was their first time taking part in a competitive meeting and also for many their first experience of competing in a long course 50m pool.

Overall the team produced a series of strong performances, recording 48 personal bests, first and second places in the boys and girls 4 x 50m 10 year old relays as well as several individual first, second and third places throughout the day.

Swim of the day went to Megan Annis (9) competing in her first open meeting, recording a tremendous time of 39.70 in the 9 year female 50m freestyle and achieving her first County Qualifying Time. Megan also posted 55.69 seconds for the 50m breast stroke. Melissa Radley (10), one of the club's newest swimmers, took nearly ten seconds off her 50m free time (43.50) and a new pb in the 50m back (54.92).

Charlotte Downey (9) was also in good form, producing pbs in the 50m back (49.80), 50m breast (54.59) and taking nearly nine seconds off her best in the 50m fly (51.96). Emily Burton (13) posted pbs in the 100m free (1.18.05), 50m back (40.96) and 100m breast (1.39.73).

Ben Clarke (12) produced a string of fine performances over the course of the day, with pbs in the 100m free (1.32.13) knocking seven seconds off his previous best, the 100m backstroke (1.36.68) and five second improvement in the 100m breast stroke (1.54.07).

Ben's younger brother William Clarke (10) also followed suit, producing four pbs during the day in the 50m free (40.99), 50m back (48.86), 100m back ( 1.46.20) and a take off a staggering 20 second improvement in the 100m free (1.32.13).

Sam Doyle (9) posted three pbs in his three events during the day, with a 38.81 in the 50m free, 44.62 in the 50m back and knocking nearly 10 seconds off his previous best in the 50m fly (41.56) and finishing a credible fifth place. Sam also securing a silver medal in the 10 year old medley relay.

Pershore's most senior swimmer present fifteen year old Pershore High School student Alex Dobell broke pb's in many of her swims winning a placing medal bringing a well deserved reward for her training and the work she enjoys doing on poolside in helping the younger swimmers in 3each training session.    Other swimmers recording pbs during the event were Isobel Cumming, Naomi Marsden, Katie Sharratt, Amy Weston, William Gearey, Owen Leeks, Josh Sharratt, Simon Sweatman and Chris Vizard.

Simon Sweatman (10) won three gold medals in the 10 year old boys 50m breast stroke (48.16), fly (34.48) and backstroke (37.66), with William Gearey (9) winning silver in the 9 year old boys 50m fly (41.56) and bronze in the 50m backstroke (42.89) and 50m freestyle (34.73). Amy Weston (10) won bronze in the 10 year old girls 50m back (40.05), and also recorded a pb in the 100m back (1.36.63).

Pershore's relay teams ended the day with success, with the boys 10 year old team winning gold in the 4 x 50m freestyle relay and silver in the 4 x 50m medley, and the girls 10 year old team winning a superb silver in the 4 x 50m medley relay and bronze in the 4 x 50m freestyle.

Tiim Gearey          photo


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