Pershore Swimmers in action at Wolverhampton
17 Jul 2011
Pershore Swimmers in action at Wolverhampton.
In an invitation Gala organised by Stourbridge club Pershore Swimming Club used the occasion to give a run out for their underage 8 year old swimmers to get some valuable experience of gala conditions before they enter the competition world of Open Meets.
Seven 8year olds accepted the challenge being Charlotte Downey; Kate Sanderson; Isobel Cummin; William Gearey; Luke Betteridge; James Thomas and Sam Doyle. First up swimming the 25m breaststroke was Cumming recording 32.20 with Sanderson on 31.45 and Downey winning her race on 28.14. Downey was also placed in the 25m free with 21.86 whilst Cumming secured 22.73 with Sanderson 23.19.
For the boys it was Gearey with the honors in the one length breaststroke of a win with 26.54 just pipping Doyle on 26.74 whilst Betteridge recorded 29.88 with Thomas on 32.28. In the freestyle race Gearey again came out on top with a great time of 18.22 whilst Doyle swam 19.65, Thomas 21.43 and Betteridge 23.27. All were proud to receive a gala medal for their efforts.
In the main part of the competition ages ranged from 9 to 13 though many swimmers were chosen to swim up an age or two with the Head Coach once again thinking six months ahead. Swimmers gaining personal bests (pb's) were Adam Palin 39.09 and Katie Sharratt 39.06 both in the 13/u 50 fly. In the 11/u breaststroke Hope Rochell and Jack Betteridge recorded 19.97 and 21.22 respectively with Rochell scoring maximum points coming home in 1st place. Betteridge also impressed with a 18.32 in the 11/u fly as did Rochell again setting 19.64 in the 11/u back.
Angus Jones set two new pb's in the 13/ back and 13/u free with 36.47 and 33.05. Christopher Vizard set a new pb in the 10/u back with 21.92. Owen Leeks in his first swim for Pershore showed great determination in the 25m 11/u back with a new pb of 19.19. In the girls 10/u free Jasmine Taite continued her good form.
The only other individual 1st places of the evening came from eleven year old Tazmin Pugh with 15.53 in the 25m 11/u fly whilst in the 50m fly in the 12/u event she again took 1st place with 33.63. Another four 1st places came from the relay events all coming from the 9yr boys comprising Simon Sweatman, Josh Sharratt; Chris Vizard and Tom Bailey in the 9yr 4 x 1 breaststroke; 9 yr 4 x 1 Medley relay; 9yr 4 x 1 backstroke relay and 4 x 1 freestyle relay. This was an amazing achievement against two of the strongest clubs in the county being Stourbridge and Redditch both sporting their strongest sides, and so one to be justifiably proud of.
Fourth place on the evening was to be expected though belies the great performances club members summoned up at the end of a hard season and managed to relegate one of the Stourbridge sides to 5th place.