Stourbridge Open - May 2015
20 May 2015
Pershore Swimming Club sent a 21-strong squad to compete in the Stourbridge Open Meet at Wolverhampton, with several new faces getting amongst the medals and smashing personal bests. This established development meet is a perfect platform for up-and-coming swimmers to get their first taste of competition, with medals being awarded to the top eight places in each event.
In the girl’s 9 year old age group, Gabriella Barry won gold in the 100m IM with a new pb of 1.37.04 while Martha Cross bagged herself a medal with six place in the 50m back (47.41).
Luke Drayton (9) who was competing in his first Open Meet looked unnerved by the occasion, with his best performance coming in the 50m back (50.85) in which he came fourth. Drayton also claimed his second medal of the gala with a seventh place in the 50m free (44.15). Also in the boy’s 9 year old age group, Euan Kirby (9) produced an impressive overall performance to snatch eight place and a medal in the 100m IM (2.16.09).
In the girl’s 10 year age group, Amelia Gearey was on great form and another bagging her first ever podium finishes. Gearey’s best race was the 100m IM win which she produced a seven second pb to claim gold in 1.35.57. She then added three more podiums, winning silvers in both the 50m back (43.72 pb) and 50m fly (42.98 pb) and bronze in the 50m free (37.88 pb).,
Oliver Smith (10) was very close to taking a bronze medal in the 50m fly, just being edged into fourth place in 46.28. He then claimed another top 8 spot in the 100m IM with a 1.44.60.
Caitlin Yates (11) just missed out on a gold medal, with a superb second place in the girls 11 year old 100m IM (1.27.56) and she also snatched bronze with another good performance in the 50m back (39.81). Emily Drayton (11), another swimmer fairly new to the Open Meet circuit, showed massive signs of improvement; with a strong swim in the 50m back (39.73) to claim a well-deserved silver medal. Drayton was unlucky not to get on the podium for a second time, just being pushed back into fourth place in the 50m free (35.10) on the touch.
In the boy’s 11 year old category, team mates Leo Rendall-Baker, Owen Kirby and Cameron Leach battled it out for the medals. Rendall-Baker (11) produced an excellent 50m fly to take the gold medal in 40.80 and then added two further medals with a sixth in the 50m breast (51.01) and seventh in the 50m back (43.30).
Cameron Leach (11) managed two podium finishes, with his victory coming in the 50m back with a great time of 41.25. He then secured a bronze medal in the 100m IM (1.29.76) and was unlucky not to make it a trio of podiums with a fourth place in the 50m breast (49.92).
Kirby (11) also secured two podium places, with silver medals in both the 50m breast (48.25) and 50m free (36.32). He then added to his medal haul, with fifth place in 50m back (42.80) and seventh in the 50m fly (45.67).
Isobel Cumming (12) proved to be too strong for the opposition in the 12 year old girl’s age group, producing dominant performances in both the freestyle and IM events. Cumming ensure back-to -back golds, with victories in the in 50m free (32.58) and in 100m IM (1.25.02).
In the older age groups, Helena Leach (13) produced a series of good swims, claiming eighth places in 50m fly (38.52), the 100m IM (1.26.09) and 50m back (39.82). Jamie West (14) pushed hard throughout the event, taking fourth place in the 50m fly (43.45), fifth places in the 50m free (34.28) and 50m back (40.69) and seventh in 50m breast (43.01).
Other PSC swimmers competing at Stourbridge who produced personal bests but just outside the medal placings were Max Murray (9), Ella Webley (10), Katie Christodoulou (10), Elena Christodoulou (11), Tara Smith (11) and Suzanne Capewell (11).