Worcester Open - Oct 2014
26 Oct 2014
Pershore Swimming Club sent a 40-strong squad to compete in the Worcester Open Meet last weekend, coming away with a staggering 109 medals, 140 County Qualifying Times (CQT), 16 Midland Qualifying Times (MQT) and 240 personal bests.
This is one of the first competitive meets in the 2014/2015 season, giving swimmers the opportunity to compete against some of the top age groupers in the County and further afield as well as achieving County and District times for 2015.
Macey French (10), Chris Vizard (12) and Will Gearey (11) were all in great form, each winning over ten medals in their respective age groups and helping Pershore to second place in the Top Visiting Club competition behind Halesowen.
Girls 9 years
Lauren Annis (9) won Gold in the 200m IM (3.27.15) and 50m back stroke (42.56); silver medals in the 200m back (3.17.13), 50m fly (42.41), 50m breast (47.72), 200m breast (3.59.82)and 50m free (36.57); and bronze in the 200m free (3.10.96). Tamara Marsden (9) picked up silver in the 400m free (6.55.97).
Girls 10 years
Macey French (10) was in excellent form, winning 11 medals including four gold medals and producing massive PBS throughout the weekend. French won gold medals in the 200m fly (3.37.33), 100m back (1.26.97), 200m back (3.03.40) and 100m fly (1.33.11); silver medals in the 400m free (5.47.75), 200m IM (3.06.11), 200m free (2.43.34),100m free (1.21.23); and bronze medals in the 50m fly (39.07), 50m back (40.39) and 50m free (34.29).
Hannah Woodcock (10) and French went head-to-head all weekend, with Woodcock also securing a string of first places. Woodcock grabbed gold medals in the 200m IM (3.01.03), the 200m free (2.37.52), 100m breast (1.34.32), 50m back (38.42), 50m breast (42.89) and 200m breast (3.25.83); and had to settle for silver medals in the 50m fly (36.65) and 50m free (33.26).
Jasmine Franks (10) also got amongst the medals, with a well-earned second place in the 50m breast final (44.61) and third places in the 50m fly (37.89) and 100m free (1.21.12).
Girls 11 years
Charlotte Downey (11) produced dominant performances in the longer distance events, scooping two gold medals and a bronze. Downey fought hard to win the gruelling 200m fly (3.22.64), a huge PB, and then added a second gold by winning the 400m free (5.34.16). Downey also secured bronze in the 400m IM (6.27.94), despite having little rest after the 400m freestyle.
Megan Annis (11) was unlucky not to bag any gold medals during the weekend, being edged into second place but moved nearer to achieving MQT in several events. Annis grabbed silver medals in the 100m back (1.17.72), 100m breast (1.33.26), 100m free (1.08.80), 200m back (2.47.11), 50m breast (41.11), 100m fly (1.25.66) and 50m free (31.45); plus bronze medals in the 200IM (2.57.44), 50m fly (34.76) and 50m back (36.31).
Alexandra Barry (11) also secured bronze in the 400m free, producing a thirty second PB to clock 5.47.17.
Girls 12 years
Naomi Marsden (12) was another swimmer unlucky not to grab gold but her performances earned her two MQTs for 2015. Marsden produced a two second PB in her favoured 100m backstroke, touching in 1.11.87 for silver and her first MQT of the weekend. She was then edged into second place by her Halesowen rival in the 200m back (2.32.74) but secured her second MQT. Both times put Marsden in the top five for end of year rankings in the Midlands district. Marsden added two further silvers in the 50m back (33.47) and 50m free (30.99).
Isobel Cumming (12) notched up good performances in the long distance events and produced massive PBS, with silvers in the 400m free (5.29.83) and 400m IM (6.20.11). Breaststroke specialist, Isabella Woodcock (12), won three silver medals in the 100m breast (1.28.15), 50m breast (40.09) and 200m breast (3.14.39).
Girls 13 years
Jasmine Taite (13) secured a place in the sprint final, taking third in the 50m fly (33.53) while Cooper took bronze in the 200m fly (3.07.22).
Girls 14 years
Beth Carter (14), another breast stroke specialist, produced a series of strong performances. Carter took silver in the 100m breast (1.21.96) and 50m breast (37.64) as well as adding bronze in the 200m breast (3.07.15).
Girls (15/16) years
Alice Hall won four bronze medals in the 100m breast (1.27.68), 100m free (1.08.74), 50m breast (39.44) and 50m free (30.63).
Girls 17 over
Alexandra Dobell (17) won eight medals across the weekend and produced several PBS. Dobel was dominant in the 200m IM (2.55.82) and 50m breast (44.11) winning two gold medals and picked up silvers in the 50m fly (35.76), 100m breast (1.36.47), 50m back (35.89), 100m fly (1.24.03) and 50m free (31.51). She also won bronze in the 100m free (1.09.32).
Boys 9 years
James Heeks (9), one of Pershore’s youngest swimmers and competing in his first Open meet, qualified well to secure a place in the 50m back sprint final. Heeks handled the pressure well to win his first medal, with a well-deserved bronze medal in 48.56.
Boys 11 years
Will Gearey (11) was in dominant form, winning 14 gold medals from 15 events as well as achieving 10 MQTs for 2015. Gearey won gold medals in the 400m free (4.56.06 MQT), 400m IM (5.39.07 MQT), 200m IM (2.34.69 MQT), 50m fly (30.76), 100m back (1.10.46 MQT), 200m free (2.20.43 MQT), 100m breast (1.23.66 MQT), 200m fly (2.52.21), 100m free (1.02.78 MQT), 200m back (2.33.84 MQT), 50m breast (38.27), 200m breast (2.57.38 MQT), 100m fly (1.11.38 MQT) and 50m free (28.54). He was edged into silver in the 50m back (33.02). Gearey’s performance saw him win the coveted Top Boy award and he now tops the end-of-year UK rankings (11 year boys) in all four 100m strokes.
Patrick Heeks (11) grabbed four medals, winning silver in 400m free (5.25.56) and three bronze medals in the 200m back (2.52.08), the 50m back (36.78) and 50m free (33.23).
Boys 12 years
Chris Vizard (12), who has recently been taking huge time improvements across the board, continued to shine across the weekend. Vizard grabbed 13 medals in total, with four gold medals in 100m breast (1.29.96), 200m IM (2.46.34), 100m fly (1.17.01) and 50m free (29.98); he won silver medals in the 200m back (2.43.38), 50m breast (39.66), 200m breast (3.12.91) and 200m free (2.26.60); and bronze medals in 400m free (5.08.67), 100m back (1.18.25), 50m fly (34.07), 100m free (1.06.920 and 50m back (36.49).
Simon Sweatman (12) opted to take on the long distances only, winning gold medals in the 400m free (4.53.32) and 400m IM (5.32.53) – both times were very close to MQT for 2015.
Luke Perry (12), who has recently joined Pershore, won his first podium finishes for the club, taking silver in the 100m back (1.18.25) and also bronze medals in the 100m breast (1.34.42) and 50m breast (42.90).
Many other swimmers achieved top five places and smashed PBS including Leo Rendall-Baker (9), Lewis Cribben (9), Max Aris (10), Oliver Smith (10), William Mullen (10), Kieran Cooper (11), Ronan Williams (11), Hamish Cross (11), Owen Kirby (11), Josh Sharratt (13), Jamie West (13), Gabriella Barry (9), Ruby Stankovich (9), Isabel Fairchild (9), Ella Webley (9), Elena Christodoulou (10), Amelia Gearey (10), Sophie Thomas (10), Caitlin Yates (10), Emily Drayton (11) Olivia Howard (11) and Hannah Simister (13).