31 May 2005 - Waltham Forest
May 31st was the final 'open gala' qualifying date for entries into this years ASA National Championships . This meant the Waltham Forest Olympic Development meet, held over the Spring bank holiday weekend was the last chance for Thurrock Swimmers to achieve these all important qualifying times with the exception of the Southern Counties Age group championships.
Thurrock sent an impressive team to the gala but chief coach Alex Morgan organised entries so they swam in their strongest events only. The squad responded with some remarkable performances resulting in 27 Thurrock Swimmers gaining top six medal winning positions. Four swimmers achieved National Qualifying times; Kerriann Chipperfield (1.07.17, 100m Freestyle), Molly Epsly (4.49.78, 400m Freestyle), Brooke Turner (2.25.41, 200m Individual Medley) and Tomas Purton (2.18.99, 200m Butterfly).
But the biggest drama occurred during the closing moments of the weekend. 15 year old Brooke Turner from Tilbury was on the blocks for the 50m Freestyle final. Brooke had enjoyed a successful weekend, winning 3 gold medals in 100m Freestyle (59.83), 400m IM (5.10.23) and 200m Freestyle (2.09.02) along with her NQT. Now she was going for gold in 50m Freestyle. Just as the starting signal sounded, a loud burst of opera music resonated through the pools public address system momentarily distracting the swimmers. Brooke powered her way through the 2 length race finishing first but in a dead heat time of 28 seconds dead, just a few one hundredths of a second outside of the NQT. With the race declared unfair, the final was re-swum. At the end of a gruelling weekend , Brooke dug very deep into her energy reserves to swim home second in a time of 28.27 seconds.
Thurrock sent an impressive team to the gala but chief coach Alex Morgan organised entries so they swam in their strongest events only. The squad responded with some remarkable performances resulting in 27 Thurrock Swimmers gaining top six medal winning positions. Four swimmers achieved National Qualifying times; Kerriann Chipperfield (1.07.17, 100m Freestyle), Molly Epsly (4.49.78, 400m Freestyle), Brooke Turner (2.25.41, 200m Individual Medley) and Tomas Purton (2.18.99, 200m Butterfly).
But the biggest drama occurred during the closing moments of the weekend. 15 year old Brooke Turner from Tilbury was on the blocks for the 50m Freestyle final. Brooke had enjoyed a successful weekend, winning 3 gold medals in 100m Freestyle (59.83), 400m IM (5.10.23) and 200m Freestyle (2.09.02) along with her NQT. Now she was going for gold in 50m Freestyle. Just as the starting signal sounded, a loud burst of opera music resonated through the pools public address system momentarily distracting the swimmers. Brooke powered her way through the 2 length race finishing first but in a dead heat time of 28 seconds dead, just a few one hundredths of a second outside of the NQT. With the race declared unfair, the final was re-swum. At the end of a gruelling weekend , Brooke dug very deep into her energy reserves to swim home second in a time of 28.27 seconds.
Altogether 64 medals were won by Thurrock swimmers. 13 year old Georgia Hunton Clarke pocketed both Fly ?golds?, winning the 100m medal in 1.09.21 and the 200m in 2.35.52 with a silver for the 100m Freestyle (1.04.61). Gold medals for 100m butterfly were also won by Tomas Purton in the 14/15 years age group (1.03.00) and 13 years old Samuel Ward (1.03.91).
The boys dominated their 400m IM events with Rhys Mould finishing second in the 14/15 years 400m IM (5.07.79), Thomas Ingram 3rd (5.11.32), Ben Grix 5th (5.21.03) and Alex Fautley 6th (5.31.10) while Sam Ward took silver position in the younger age group (5.10.42).
16 year old Daniella Nice from Stanford-Le-Hope and Christopher Webb from Grays interrupted their GCSE revision to get themselves on the winners rostrum. Daniella won 6 medals from 6 events to win the top girl award in the 16 years plus age group including silver medals for 400m IM, 200m Fly, 200m IM and 100m Fly. Chris won gold in the 14/15 years 100m Freestyle (57.14) with a silver in the 50m Freestyle (26.35) taking third place overall in his age group.
11 year old Charlie Hayes from South Stifford swam a time of 3.12.13 to win the gold medal in the 200m Breaststroke and the 200m Fly events again proved a bountiful haven for medals with Billy Tubbs winning 4th place in the 14/15 years (2.22.46), while in the 12/13 year age group Thomas Ford took 4th place (2.37.66), braden Wren took 5th (2.38.76) and Connor Harrold came 6th (2.44.36). Matthew Dibble completed the boys medallist finishing 4th in the 12/13 yrs 200m Backstroke (2.39.86).
The gala included distance events, 1500m Freestyle for boys and 800m Freestyle for girls. Rhys Mould swam an impressive 17minutes 29.10 seconds to complete his 60 length races in bronze medal position with Ben Grix in 4th 16 seconds behind. Shannon Harrold from Corringham took 9 minutes 59.97 seconds to swim 32 lengths of freesetyle finishing 5th while Emma Backhurst came 6th in 10.19.23.
Sisters Megan and Emma Langridge from Grays both returned with silver medals, Megan winning hers in the 12/13 yrs 100m Fly (1.12.91) while Emma was second in the 14/15 yrs 200m Backstroke (2.34.92). Abigail Sayer from Stifford Clays was another silver medallist in the 200m Fly (2.54.97). Kerriann Chipperfield added a bronze medal to her NQT, swimming the 200m IM in 2.46.90.
Robyn Turner and Jessica Ford both won 4 medals a piece each taking one in the 200m backstroke.. Robyn took 4th place in 12/13 years (2.40.68) while Jessica continued her best season to date with a 5th place in the 14/15 age group (2.38.55).
Rebecca Grix won 5th place in the 12/13 yrs 200m Breaststroke and Kareina Tubbs took 6th place in the 10/11 yrs 200m fly.
The Thurrock squads are now preparing for their last ever Southern Counties District Championships at Crystal palace this weekend before the Amatuer Swimming Association Regionalisation project moves Thurrock into the new EAST District.
GIRLS
12/13 yrs
Molly Epsly 6th 200m Freestyle (2.21.65)
Shannon Harrold 4th 200m Fly (2.47.63)
Robyn Turner 5th 100m Freestyle (1.05.64)
5th 100m Fly (1.15.03)
5th 100m Back (1.16.31)
Megan Langridge 3rd 200m Backstroke (2.38.69)
10/11
Abigail Sayer 5th 200m Backstroke (2.53.66)
5th 200m Freestyle (2.35.84)
14/15
Jessica Ford 5th 400m IM (5.29.08)
6th 200m Breaststroke (2.58.64)
6th 200m Freestyle (2.21.45)
Emma Langridge 4th 100m Backstroke (1.13.30)
16 yrs plus
Daniella Nice 3rd 200m Backstroke (2.33.14)
4th 100m Backstroke (1.11.87)
BOYS
14/15 yrs Chris Webb 4th 200m IM (2.24.45),
3rd 100m Fly (1.05.72)
Rhys Mould 5th 400m Freestyle (4.29.85)
Ben Grix 5th 200m Fly (2.25.25)
Billy Tubbs 4th 100m Freestyle (59.44),
4th 100m Fly (1.05.91)
Thomas Ingram 6th 200m Fly (2.28.72),
6th 100m Fly (1.08.52),
Tomas Purton 4th 100m Backstroke (1.05.91)
The boys dominated their 400m IM events with Rhys Mould finishing second in the 14/15 years 400m IM (5.07.79), Thomas Ingram 3rd (5.11.32), Ben Grix 5th (5.21.03) and Alex Fautley 6th (5.31.10) while Sam Ward took silver position in the younger age group (5.10.42).
16 year old Daniella Nice from Stanford-Le-Hope and Christopher Webb from Grays interrupted their GCSE revision to get themselves on the winners rostrum. Daniella won 6 medals from 6 events to win the top girl award in the 16 years plus age group including silver medals for 400m IM, 200m Fly, 200m IM and 100m Fly. Chris won gold in the 14/15 years 100m Freestyle (57.14) with a silver in the 50m Freestyle (26.35) taking third place overall in his age group.
11 year old Charlie Hayes from South Stifford swam a time of 3.12.13 to win the gold medal in the 200m Breaststroke and the 200m Fly events again proved a bountiful haven for medals with Billy Tubbs winning 4th place in the 14/15 years (2.22.46), while in the 12/13 year age group Thomas Ford took 4th place (2.37.66), braden Wren took 5th (2.38.76) and Connor Harrold came 6th (2.44.36). Matthew Dibble completed the boys medallist finishing 4th in the 12/13 yrs 200m Backstroke (2.39.86).
The gala included distance events, 1500m Freestyle for boys and 800m Freestyle for girls. Rhys Mould swam an impressive 17minutes 29.10 seconds to complete his 60 length races in bronze medal position with Ben Grix in 4th 16 seconds behind. Shannon Harrold from Corringham took 9 minutes 59.97 seconds to swim 32 lengths of freesetyle finishing 5th while Emma Backhurst came 6th in 10.19.23.
Sisters Megan and Emma Langridge from Grays both returned with silver medals, Megan winning hers in the 12/13 yrs 100m Fly (1.12.91) while Emma was second in the 14/15 yrs 200m Backstroke (2.34.92). Abigail Sayer from Stifford Clays was another silver medallist in the 200m Fly (2.54.97). Kerriann Chipperfield added a bronze medal to her NQT, swimming the 200m IM in 2.46.90.
Robyn Turner and Jessica Ford both won 4 medals a piece each taking one in the 200m backstroke.. Robyn took 4th place in 12/13 years (2.40.68) while Jessica continued her best season to date with a 5th place in the 14/15 age group (2.38.55).
Rebecca Grix won 5th place in the 12/13 yrs 200m Breaststroke and Kareina Tubbs took 6th place in the 10/11 yrs 200m fly.
The Thurrock squads are now preparing for their last ever Southern Counties District Championships at Crystal palace this weekend before the Amatuer Swimming Association Regionalisation project moves Thurrock into the new EAST District.
GIRLS
12/13 yrs
Molly Epsly 6th 200m Freestyle (2.21.65)
Shannon Harrold 4th 200m Fly (2.47.63)
Robyn Turner 5th 100m Freestyle (1.05.64)
5th 100m Fly (1.15.03)
5th 100m Back (1.16.31)
Megan Langridge 3rd 200m Backstroke (2.38.69)
10/11
Abigail Sayer 5th 200m Backstroke (2.53.66)
5th 200m Freestyle (2.35.84)
14/15
Jessica Ford 5th 400m IM (5.29.08)
6th 200m Breaststroke (2.58.64)
6th 200m Freestyle (2.21.45)
Emma Langridge 4th 100m Backstroke (1.13.30)
16 yrs plus
Daniella Nice 3rd 200m Backstroke (2.33.14)
4th 100m Backstroke (1.11.87)
BOYS
14/15 yrs Chris Webb 4th 200m IM (2.24.45),
3rd 100m Fly (1.05.72)
Rhys Mould 5th 400m Freestyle (4.29.85)
Ben Grix 5th 200m Fly (2.25.25)
Billy Tubbs 4th 100m Freestyle (59.44),
4th 100m Fly (1.05.91)
Thomas Ingram 6th 200m Fly (2.28.72),
6th 100m Fly (1.08.52),
Tomas Purton 4th 100m Backstroke (1.05.91)