Wyre Forest Open Meet 2013
27 Apr 2013
Youngsters from Pershore Swimming Club competed at the Wyre
Forest Open Meet held at Wolverhampton over the weekend coming away with 20 top
three podium finishes and smashing 39 personal bests.
The annual event, well known now for its longer distance
event format, attracts entrants from all over the Midlands, with swimmers
coming from Staffordshire, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Warwickshire and also
Herefordshire.
Star performance over the weekend for Pershore was William
Gearey (10) who came away with eight medals in total in the ten year old boy
events, claiming six gold medals, a silver and a bronze. Gearey swept the board in his favoured
freestyle events with some dominant performances, taking first places in the
100m freestyle in 1.13.60 seconds, the 200m freestyle (2.39.69) and the 400m
freestyle in a new personal best (pb) time of 5.34.37. He also took gold medals in the 100m
backstroke in 1.26.59, the 200m backstroke (3.00.38), the 200m IM in 3.05.50 as
well as adding a silver medal in the 100m fly in 1.34.40 and a bronze in the
100m breast stroke in 1.45.25.
Megan Annis (9) continued to build on her recent success at this
yearÆs County Championships with two golds and a bronze. Annis took first places in the Girls 9 year
old 200m breast stroke in a new pb of 4.02.99, the 200m IM in a massive pb of
3.32.98 and also third place in the 200m freestyle in 3.10.81 (pb).
Brothers Ben and William Clarke made it a double delight in
the family household, with both siblings taking bronze medals in their first
Open Meet of the year. Ben (13) was
first to rack up success, taking bronze in the boys 13 year old 100m breast
stroke in a new pb of 1.52.03. Younger
brother William (11) not to be out done by his elder sibling, was soon standing
on the podium himself taking a superb third place in the boys 11 year old 100m
back stroke, again in a massive pb of 1.33.41. Both brothers produced a string of fine performances, smashing pbs in
the 100m freestyle, the 100m backstroke and the 100m breaststroke.
Luke Betteridge (9) bagged two medals, with a strong
performance in the boys 9 year old 200m breast stroke to take gold in a time of
4.04.69 (pb) and a massive 20 second pb saw his claim third place in the 200m
freestyle in 3.11.86 (pb).
Other medal winners over the weekend saw Naomi Marsden (10)
again showing her dominance in the backstroke, with comfortable victories in
the Girls 10 year old 100m backstroke (1.21.71) and the 200m backstroke
(2.56.13); Owen Leeks (13) produced a fantastic pb in the boys 13 year old 100m
fly to claim bronze medal in 1.21.75; Chris Vizard (11) took golds in the boys
11 year old 400m freestyle (6.02.15), the 200m fly (3.46.24), the gruelling
400m IM (6.40.88) as well as silver in the 200m back (3.07.07 pb) and bronze in
the 200m breast stroke (3.41.16 pb); and Isobel Cumming (11) won gold in the
Girls 11 year old 200m fly (3.41.96 pb), the 400m IM (7.16.07 pb) and third
place in the 400m free (6.01.06 pb).
There were also good performances from many swimmers new to
Open Meetings showing the increasing strength in depth of the Pershore Club.
Alexandra Barry (9) competing in her first ever Open
produced three excellent swims in the Girls 9 year old category and smashing
personal bests on the way. Barry took
nearly 30 seconds off her previous time in the 200IM with a fantastic 3.56.89
(pb), 25 seconds in the 200m breast stroke in 4.28.66 and recorded 3.35.37 in
the 200m freestyle in another massive pb.
Owen Kirby (9), also his first Open meeting, competed in the
boys 9 year old 200m breast stroke, recording 4.53.25 and a new pb. Cameron Leach (9) also produced a massive pb
in the boys 9 year old 200m free, knocking 20 seconds off his previous time in
3.33.21.
Rebecca Phillips (10) produced four pbs and only just
missing out on the medals in the girls 10 year old events, with good swims in
the 200m breast stroke (3.58.64 pb), the 100m back (1.40.45 pb), the 100m
breast stroke (1.51.31 pb) and the 200m back (3.26.42 pb).
And finally Hannah Simister (12) recorded pbs in her five
events in the girls 12 year 100m free (1.19.08), the 200m breast stroke
(3.27.02), the 200IM (3.15.63), the 100m breast stroke (1.36.69) and the 200m
freestyle (2.51.80).
Commenting on their success, Tom Naughton, PershoreÆs head
coach said: "Some outstanding
performances again from our youngsters and always pleasing to see so many
personal bests being recorded. We have a
very talented, young squad and great to come away with a large haul of medals
too.ö