3 Apr 2005 - M11 - Junior Speedo League
With the Essex Championships safety in the bag for another year, Thurrock Swimming Club turned its attention to the younger squad members who participated in the first heat of the Junior Speedo League held at Bishops Stortford. Thurrock have finished in the top three places of division One in this league for the last five years and the 2005 team look set to repeat this feat, starting with a 51 point victory against teams from Bishops Stortford, Dartford, Erith, Cheshunt and Potters Bar.
First in the pool was 10 year old Harriet Davis swimming the 50m freestyle event. Harriet won this event in 36.29 seconds as well as the Backstroke (42.25) and the Thurrock team went on to win over half of the remaining events outright, clocking up 69 personal best times out of 114 swims in total.
This gala is a good indicator of the future strength of the clubs taking part. Certainly the team from Thurrock promise great things with the 9 year old boys winning most of their races outright. Sonny Ford who attend Stifford Clays Primary school clocked up a double victory in 25m Breaststroke (24.16), and Butterfly (20.59) while Thomas Head from Little Thurrock triumphed in Freestyle (19.35) leaving Charlie Davis to take the bronze position in Backstroke (22.53). The boys were joined by Bradley Clarke from Grays and Gareth Hawkins from Ockendon to swim their way to comfortable victories in both the medley and freestyle relays. Gareth Hawkins swimming an age group up also scored a victory in the 10 years backstroke (46.66)
First in the pool was 10 year old Harriet Davis swimming the 50m freestyle event. Harriet won this event in 36.29 seconds as well as the Backstroke (42.25) and the Thurrock team went on to win over half of the remaining events outright, clocking up 69 personal best times out of 114 swims in total.
This gala is a good indicator of the future strength of the clubs taking part. Certainly the team from Thurrock promise great things with the 9 year old boys winning most of their races outright. Sonny Ford who attend Stifford Clays Primary school clocked up a double victory in 25m Breaststroke (24.16), and Butterfly (20.59) while Thomas Head from Little Thurrock triumphed in Freestyle (19.35) leaving Charlie Davis to take the bronze position in Backstroke (22.53). The boys were joined by Bradley Clarke from Grays and Gareth Hawkins from Ockendon to swim their way to comfortable victories in both the medley and freestyle relays. Gareth Hawkins swimming an age group up also scored a victory in the 10 years backstroke (46.66)
The 9 year old girls team were certainly not to be left behind with Deneholm pupil Katharine Stevens from Grays winning the 25m Breaststroke (26.47) and Freestyle (18.81) leaving Rebecca Hayes who attends St Thomas RC school in first place in the fly (25.43) with a silver position in backstroke (23.78) The girls were joined by Ellie Dowman from Chadwell, Georgia Mills and Katherine Hodge both from Stifford Clays to take third place in the freestyle and medley relays.
Right across the four different age groups, Thurrocks swimmers shone, impressing the many spectators, some of whom were experiencing the thrills and intense excitement of competitive swimming for the first time. The 11 year girls relays team of Sarah Dibble, Joanna Waterman, Kareina Tubbs, Abigail Sayer and Danielle Sayer won both team events outright with Sarah and Jonana also scoring individual victories in backstroke (40.75) and Breaststroke (43.25) respectively. The 11 year boys nearly matched this with Charlie Hayes, Alex Mangan, Thomas Mangan and Michael Kite winning their freestyle relay and coming second in the Medley. Thomas Mangan swam one of the biggest personal best times in the 50m Freestyle to win his individual event in 36.94 seconds while Charlie Hayes won both the breaststroke (46.25) and fly (38.47).
Thurrock?s experienced 12 year olds were swimming their last year in the Junior Speedo and made it one to remember with Molly Epsley, Kerriann Chipperfield, Megan Langridge and Sarah Dibble winning their Medley relay outright while the boys team of Braden Wren, Connor Harold, James Mitchell and Alex Brown finished in second place in both of their relays.
10 year old Charlie Hard finished second in the 50m breaststroke (51.94) and Amy Beardwell Lacey, Zoe Osborne, Harriet Davis and Katherine Stevens swam a 1 minute 15.47 freestyle medley to finish in third place.
And so, the scene was set for the last event of the gala, the 8 man relay which comprises of one male and female swimmer from each age group swimming a 200m freestyle relay event. Katherine Stevens, Bradley Clarke, Harriette Davis, Charlie Hard, Danielle Sayer, Charlie Hayes, Molly Epsley and Braden Wren took the race by storm to romp home in a winning time of 2 minutes 17.37 seconds.
Thurrock team manager, Debbie Grix said after the event that she could not have been more pleased with the way the swimmers performed. She particually praised the younger swimmers for the cool way their kept their heads in the noisy excitement of the event. "They literally swam out of their skins!"
Thurrock take part in round two of this event on May 8th at Waltham Forest.
Right across the four different age groups, Thurrocks swimmers shone, impressing the many spectators, some of whom were experiencing the thrills and intense excitement of competitive swimming for the first time. The 11 year girls relays team of Sarah Dibble, Joanna Waterman, Kareina Tubbs, Abigail Sayer and Danielle Sayer won both team events outright with Sarah and Jonana also scoring individual victories in backstroke (40.75) and Breaststroke (43.25) respectively. The 11 year boys nearly matched this with Charlie Hayes, Alex Mangan, Thomas Mangan and Michael Kite winning their freestyle relay and coming second in the Medley. Thomas Mangan swam one of the biggest personal best times in the 50m Freestyle to win his individual event in 36.94 seconds while Charlie Hayes won both the breaststroke (46.25) and fly (38.47).
Thurrock?s experienced 12 year olds were swimming their last year in the Junior Speedo and made it one to remember with Molly Epsley, Kerriann Chipperfield, Megan Langridge and Sarah Dibble winning their Medley relay outright while the boys team of Braden Wren, Connor Harold, James Mitchell and Alex Brown finished in second place in both of their relays.
10 year old Charlie Hard finished second in the 50m breaststroke (51.94) and Amy Beardwell Lacey, Zoe Osborne, Harriet Davis and Katherine Stevens swam a 1 minute 15.47 freestyle medley to finish in third place.
And so, the scene was set for the last event of the gala, the 8 man relay which comprises of one male and female swimmer from each age group swimming a 200m freestyle relay event. Katherine Stevens, Bradley Clarke, Harriette Davis, Charlie Hard, Danielle Sayer, Charlie Hayes, Molly Epsley and Braden Wren took the race by storm to romp home in a winning time of 2 minutes 17.37 seconds.
Thurrock team manager, Debbie Grix said after the event that she could not have been more pleased with the way the swimmers performed. She particually praised the younger swimmers for the cool way their kept their heads in the noisy excitement of the event. "They literally swam out of their skins!"
Thurrock take part in round two of this event on May 8th at Waltham Forest.