30 Jul 2006 - National Age Group Championships 2006

 

Molly Epsly, 13, from Horndon on the Hill firmly established herself as one of the country's top ten ranked swimmers of her age group.

The Gable Hall student swum a stunning personal best time of 18 minutes 19.22 seconds to finish in 9th place overall in the 1500m freestyle at this years ASA National Championships held at the Olympic swimming centre at Ponds Forge in Sheffield.

Four swimmers from Thurrock Swimming club qualified for swimming's most prestigious event.

12 year old Abi Sayer from Stifford Clays recalled her experience. She said "To be in the National Swimming Championships this year is a dream come true for all of us."

"We have trained very hard all year to get this far. It was amazing to see swimmers from all over Great Britain, Ireland, South Africa and Turkey."

"Whilst waiting for our events to start, we had a chance to go and meet Sharon Davis and get her to sign our club t-shirts."

"I was the first up in the 200m Fly event. I was so excited when I was about to swim, that our chief coach Alex Morgan, had to calm me down."

"I swam in the 200m fly and managed to get a personal best time of 2.24.46 which places me as 35th in the whole country."

"It was hard through and my body ached after It was a great experience though and something I will alway remember."

Kerriann Chipperfield competed in four events over the championships, producing personall best swims in the 200m Freestyle (2.21.06) 400m Freestyle (4.55.26) and 800m Freestyle (9.55.23).

She just missed her best time in the 200m fly (2.39.30) but as Chief coach Alex Morgan explained, this was swum just after her 800m Freestyle and as such ws a superb effort which ranks her as 27th in the country overall.

What Megan Langridge from Grays lacked in height against her opponents, she more than made up for in effort and courage as she completed the fastest 200m Fly time of the girls team to finish in 18th place overall in a time of 2.33.27.

Alex Morgan went on to compliment the girls on their professionalism and performance. "All four of them looked perfectly at home amoungst the best of the countries swimmers. They were a real credit to Thurrock."