Record Qualifiers for the County Winter Championship
Posted: January 2007
Last year saw a record member of qualifiers for the 2006 Championships.
Unlike the Age Group Championships where swimmers compete in single year age groups, these Championships have only 3 age categories and for younger swimmers qualifying is much tougher.
The Ages Groups are:
- GIRLS: 13+ Under, 14-15 and 16+
- BOYS: 14+ Under, 15-16 and 17+
- FINALS: The TOP 8 regardless of age
Many of you have asked why such a dramatic departure from normal age group scoring. The reasons are historical and financial!
- In the days before LTAD (Long Term Athlete Development) the year was divided into the winter season and the summer season. So these championships came at the end of the "winter season".
- Consequently all the trophies were engraved with these old age groups. As all of these trophies are expensive (some insured for £5K+ each!) to change and replace would be extremely costly.
- So these Champs are part of the County Constitution.
Anyway enough of the history lesson! With these age groups in mind it was fantastic to get an Event Champion in the WILLIAM ALLEN-MERSH in the 100m IM.
Already a multiple finalist in freestyle, breaststroke and backstroke throughout the weekend he launched his bid for glory in the final session!
In the 100 IM heats he broke his PB by 1 second to go into the final seeded No1. Then incredibly he took off nearly 1 more second to take the title in the final.
Which just goes to show that if you put in the training, stay focussed, hydrated and correctly nourished you can perform at the highest level at the end of a long weekend (rather than give up and blame it on "tiredness").
In addition Will achieved BRONZE in the 200 BR (2:38.90), BRONZE in the 50 BA (30.48) and 5th in the 100 FREE (55.94). Not a bad days work!
There were many other solid performances with the majority of our swimmers achieving PB's.
India Matharu-Daley (13) made two finals taking SILVER in the 50 BR (39.25) and BRONZE in the 100 BR (1:25.63).
Katharine Spooner had a stormer in the 200m BR (3:05.36) taking BRONZE medal whilst Raymond Wade, after a disappointing 100m butterfky, took BRONZE in the 50m FLY (29.31).
Katharine also had a very strong swim in the 200m FLY fighting back hard for 4th place (2:48.82).
There were other good performances for swimmers making their first ever appearance at these senior championships.
Chris Brown in the 50, 100 & 200m BR (37.93, 1:23.78 & 3:02.65); Martijn Bokkerink 200m FREE (2:27.79); Olivia D'Souza in the 50m FREE (33.81) and Angel Dimmick in the 100m FREE (1:12.40).
This was both a record entry and a record number of finalists & medals for the Club.