Worcestershire Development Meet 2013
29 Sep 2013
LEEKS AND LEACH GRAB GOLD IN WOLVERHAMPTON
Pershore Swimming Club took a 28-strong
mixed squad aged between 9 and 13 years to compete in the Worcestershire County
Development Meet (Level 3) at Wolverhampton at the weekend, bringing back 16
medals, six County Qualifying Times (CQT) and smashing 66 personal bests.
This is one of the first galas of the
new 2013/14 swimming season and an opportunity for several of PershoreÆs
youngest swimmers to get their first taste of competitive action.
Owen Leeks (13) put in the star
performance at the event, winning the prestigious boys "Skinsö final, which sees
the eight fastest swimmers in the 100 IM compete against each other in a knock
out format. Strokes are picked out
randomly, with the slowest swimmer eliminated after each round until two
swimmers remain for a head-to-head. Leeks managed to survive two rounds of breast stroke, his least
favourite event, two legs of butterfly, before taking a superb gold in the
final round with the backstroke. Team
mates Callum Sanderson and Josh Lane also made the final. Leeks also snatched silver in the boys 13 year
old 50m backstroke in 36.42 seconds
Jasmine Taite (12) nearly matched
LeeksÆ achievements also reaching the girls "Skinsö final, finishing a very
credible fourth. Taite also picked up a
bronze medal in the girls 12 year old 100IM in a new pb of 1.22.47 seconds.
Cameron Leach (9) took three gold
medals in the boys 9 year old 50m fly (47.81 pb), the 50m backstroke (44.55 pb)
and 50m freestyle (38.28 pb) and a silver in the 100IM in 1.44.30 seconds.
There were also three silvers for Megan
Annis (10) who claimed second places in the girls 10 year old 50m fly (41.95),
the 50m backstroke (41.57 pb) and the 100m IM (1.31.26 pb).
Charlotte Downey (10) came away with
two medals, taking silver in the girls 10 year old 50m breast stroke in 49.76
and bronze in the 50m fly (44.29 pb).
Patrick Heeks (10) added more medals to
PershoreÆs over haul, with third places in the boys 10 year old 50m fly (44.87
pb) and achieving a CQT in the 50m freestyle with a new pb of 36.25 seconds.
There will also strong performances
from rising star Jasmine Franks (9) grabbed silver in the girls 9 year old 50m
freestyle in a new pb of 39.19 seconds and her first CQT; Daisy Tolley (11)
took silver in the girls 11 year old 50m back in 40.11 seconds; and Leo
Randall-Baker (9) grabbed third in the boys 9 year old 50 fly in 50.56 (pb).
Personal bests were achieved in various
50m and 100m events by Sophie Thomas (9), Alexandra Barry (10), Isobel Cumming
(11), Hannah Simister (12), Caitlin Yates (9), Ellen Cope (10), Edward Meredith
(9), Owen Kirby (10), Ronan Williams (10), Kiernan Bennett (11), Jamie Saunders
(10), William Clarke (11), Ben Clarke (13), Callum Sanderson (13) and Josh Lane
(13).
Tom Naughton, PershoreÆs head coach,
said: "A very pleasing start to the
competitive season and good to see more of our swimmers getting County
Qualifying Times. We are aiming to get a
record number of entries to the County Championships in March.ö