PGL League 2013 Round 1 - Droitwich
12 Feb 2013
Pershore Swimmers edge out Evesham in a nail biting finish
Local swimming clubs, Pershore and Evesham, went head-to-head against each other in Round 1 of the ROSS PGL Junior League as well as Droitwich Dolphins and Haden Hill in what proved to be a highly competitive and extremely close fought gala at Droitwich Leisure Centre.
The league gala went down to the last two races, with just five points separating first and third placed teams and Pershore, which enjoyed a good run in the PGL and Diddy Leagues last year, just taking first place with 125 points. Evesham were second just a single point behind on 124 points and Droitwich in third on 120 points.
Out of the 60 events at the event, Pershore took an impressive 23 first places and 15 second places รป with the balance of victories spread evenly between their boy and girl swimmers with the girls particularly impressiing taking 81 pts from ten 1st places being more than any other team. The club also clocked a staggering number of personal bests during the course of the evening.
Individual first places for Pershore went to Elizabeth Vizard in the Girls 13/14m fly; Mia Du Toit in the Girls 11/u 25m breaststroke; Drew Jones in the Boys 13/14m Back; Daisy Tolley in the Girls 11/u 25m free; Katie Sanderson in the Girls 10/u 25m fly; Casarena Ferriera in the Girls 12/u 50m breaststroke; Isobel Cumming in the Girls 10/u 25m free; Josh Sharratt in the Boys 12/u 50m back; Ellen Cope in the Girls 10/u 25m back; Owen Leeks in the Boys 13/14 50m free; Tessa Carr in the Girls 13/14 50m free; Callum Sanderson in the Boys 12/u 50m fly; William Clarke in the Boys 11/u 25m free; Holly Winkley, fresh from her being presented with the 'Junior Yellow Monthly Winners top' in the Girls 10/u 25m breaststroke; and Hamish Cross in the Boys 9 yr 25m fly.
Pershore proved to be one of the strongest clubs in the relays, enjoying numerous first and second places including the Boys 10/u 4 x 25m Medley relay; Boys 12/u 4 x 25m Medley relay; Girls 11/u 4 x 25m Medley relay; Girls 10/u 4 x 25m Medley relay; Girls 13/14 4 x 25m Medley relay; Boys 11/u 4 x 25m freestyle relay; Girls 11/u 4 x 25m freestyle relay; Boys 10/u 4 x 25m freestyle relay; Girls 10/u 4 x 25m freestyle relay and the Boys 12/u 4 x 25m freestyle relay.
The Pershore team ensured that they finished the evening on a high with the Boys winning the 10 x 25m cannon and the Girls taking second in the same event in what is a thrilling way to end the evening for swimmers and supporters alike.
Quite a few youngsters were making their competitive debuts for Pershore including Hazel Clay who swam very strongly to clock a time of 23.75 seconds in the 9 year old Girls 25m freestyle; Alexandra Barry taking second in the 9 year old Girls 25m breaststroke in 26.86 seconds and Sophie Thomas in the Girls 9 year old 25m backstroke in 26.70 seconds.
Pershore's head coach, Tom Naughton, said: "I'm delighted with the way the whole team performed tonight. 23 first places and smashing PBS throughout the team is a brilliant result. The PGL is an important format for us as a club as it enables us to give our up-and-coming talent the opportunity for real competition. It was a very close match with Evesham, fought in the right spirit, and we were thrilled to take the victory."