5 Jan 2007 - Dover Icebreaker
Thurrock swimming club got their new year off to a flying start when they competed in the City of Canterbury Icebreaker meet on the 1st weekend of January. Thurrock swimmers were once again competing against some of the premier clubs in the south east counties of England and they returned with yet another impressive haul of results.
The weekends competition started early for 13 year old James Mitchell. James travelled ahead of the rest of team Thurrock to compete in the gruelling 1500m freestyle, late on Friday evening and made his mark by claiming 2nd spot and smashing his personal best by over 20 seconds. Inspired by this performance, the remaining borough swimmers went on to collect over 50 top 3 finishes, over 2 further days of competition.
The most entertaining races of the weekend came in the skins events, where the fastest 6 swimmers in the 200m Individual Medley, qualify to compete in a series of 5 back to back 50m sprint races, held only 1 minute apart. The slowest swimmer in each race is eliminated until only 2 swimmers remain to challenge for the 'skins' title. In the boys 12/13 year category, Thurrock's trio of Braden Wren, Conor Harrold and Charlie Hayes all qualified for the challenge and after some breathtaking sprinting, Braden just pipped Conor to claim the prestigious skins title. Braden went on to collect a hat-trick of wins in all, in the 100m and 200m fly (1:08.19, 2:28.61) and 200m IM (2:29.61). Conor bagged three 2nd places in the 200m fly (2:30.97), 400m IM (5:14.56), 200m IM (2:30.38) and two 3rd spots in the 400m Free (4:34.56) and 200m Back (2:29.51). Completing the medal haul for the boys in this age group was 12 year old Charlie Hayes, who finished 2nd in the 200m breast (2:58.37) and 3rd in the 200m fly (2:34.82) and 400m IM (5:19.33).
In the same age group, Megan Langridge, also qualified for the girl's skins final and finished in a credible fourth place. Megan also went on to collect four 2nd places in the 200m fly (2:29.68), 200m back (2:32.02), 100m back (1:11.96) and 400m IM (5:22.05) and 3rd place in the 100m fly (1:11.04). Molly Epsly from Horndon also produced two top 3 finishes in this age group, winning the 400m free (4:37.20) and claiming 3rd place in the 400m IM (5:22.57).
Thurrock's youngest representatives also put in some successful performances. Nine year old Salaam Motin took 3 victories in the 200m back (3:01.53), 200m IM (3:03.72) and 200m free (2:41.86), while twin brother Kalaam collected 3rd place in the 200 Breast (4:13.01). Fellow 9 year Bobbie McCarthy, gained his first win in an open competition, in the 200m breast (3:45.64) and took 2nd place in the 200m IM (3:12.83). Rachael Moore, the solo Thurrock representative in the girls 9 year age group, also celebrated victories in the 200m free (2:48.95) and 200m back (3:07.29).
The borough's 10 year old boys continue to dominate their respective specialised events. Ockendon based Gareth Hawkins swam to victory in both the 100m (1:17.26) and 200m backstroke (2:42.04), matched by team mate Sonny Ford from Grays, who won both the 100m and 200m fly (1:21.49, 2:53.91). Bradley Clarke completed the rout by winning the 200m and 400m freestyle (2:26.65, 5:02.32) and scooping 2 other 1st places in the 200m breast (3:14.92) and 200m IM (2:46.64). Eleven year old Charlie Hard completed the boys dominance in the 10/11 year age group by taking 1st spot in the 400IM (6:28.03) and 2nd in the 200m fly (3:12.33).
In the girls 10/11 year category, Amy Beardwell Lacy continued her recent medal winning habit by claiming victory in the 200m Fly (2:53.61), and collecting 2nd places in the 100m Butterfly (1:20.24) and 400m IM (5:54.68). Ten year olds, Amy Gore and Kayleigh Sims, were only separated by a finger nail in the 100m breastroke final with Amy taking top spot (1:28.55) and Kayleigh taking 3rd place (1:28.60). Kayleigh went on to collect an additional 3rd place in the 200m event (3:12.66).
Thurrock's haul of top 3 places was completed by some of Thurrock's more experienced female swimmers. Fourteen year old Georgina Hunt won the 400m IM (5:15.41) and swam to four 2nd places in the 200m free (2:14.33), 200m IM (2:32.33), 100m fly (1:09.33) and 400m free (4:37.90). Meanwhile Shannon Harold won 2 events in the same 14/15 age category, the 400m Free (4:36.00) and the 200 fly (2:33.73) to add to two 3rd places in the 400m IM and 200m free. Sixteen year old Jessica Ford was placed in the top 5 in all of her 7 events which included wins in the 100m breast (1:19.05) and 400m IM. Jessica also claimed 4th place in the girls 16 and over skins final.
Thurrock swimmers also picked up an additional haul of 4th, 5th and 6th places, all of which were awarded with medals.
Thurrock Swimming Club would like to thank the various local companies who very kindly donated prizes for the Club Christmas Raffle. These include : Feel Good Digital Photography, Down to Earth Florists, Essex FM, Forget me Not Florists, Hair & Beauty Crammavill Street, Odeon and Vue Cinemas, Parkside Inn, Remo Tanning and Nails, Sports Corner, Threshers Blackshots, Threshers Crammavill Street, Thurrock Garden Centre.
A total of £255 was raised in this Christmas Raffle and the Club would like to say many thanks for the support of these local retail companies
The weekends competition started early for 13 year old James Mitchell. James travelled ahead of the rest of team Thurrock to compete in the gruelling 1500m freestyle, late on Friday evening and made his mark by claiming 2nd spot and smashing his personal best by over 20 seconds. Inspired by this performance, the remaining borough swimmers went on to collect over 50 top 3 finishes, over 2 further days of competition.
The most entertaining races of the weekend came in the skins events, where the fastest 6 swimmers in the 200m Individual Medley, qualify to compete in a series of 5 back to back 50m sprint races, held only 1 minute apart. The slowest swimmer in each race is eliminated until only 2 swimmers remain to challenge for the 'skins' title. In the boys 12/13 year category, Thurrock's trio of Braden Wren, Conor Harrold and Charlie Hayes all qualified for the challenge and after some breathtaking sprinting, Braden just pipped Conor to claim the prestigious skins title. Braden went on to collect a hat-trick of wins in all, in the 100m and 200m fly (1:08.19, 2:28.61) and 200m IM (2:29.61). Conor bagged three 2nd places in the 200m fly (2:30.97), 400m IM (5:14.56), 200m IM (2:30.38) and two 3rd spots in the 400m Free (4:34.56) and 200m Back (2:29.51). Completing the medal haul for the boys in this age group was 12 year old Charlie Hayes, who finished 2nd in the 200m breast (2:58.37) and 3rd in the 200m fly (2:34.82) and 400m IM (5:19.33).
In the same age group, Megan Langridge, also qualified for the girl's skins final and finished in a credible fourth place. Megan also went on to collect four 2nd places in the 200m fly (2:29.68), 200m back (2:32.02), 100m back (1:11.96) and 400m IM (5:22.05) and 3rd place in the 100m fly (1:11.04). Molly Epsly from Horndon also produced two top 3 finishes in this age group, winning the 400m free (4:37.20) and claiming 3rd place in the 400m IM (5:22.57).
Thurrock's youngest representatives also put in some successful performances. Nine year old Salaam Motin took 3 victories in the 200m back (3:01.53), 200m IM (3:03.72) and 200m free (2:41.86), while twin brother Kalaam collected 3rd place in the 200 Breast (4:13.01). Fellow 9 year Bobbie McCarthy, gained his first win in an open competition, in the 200m breast (3:45.64) and took 2nd place in the 200m IM (3:12.83). Rachael Moore, the solo Thurrock representative in the girls 9 year age group, also celebrated victories in the 200m free (2:48.95) and 200m back (3:07.29).
The borough's 10 year old boys continue to dominate their respective specialised events. Ockendon based Gareth Hawkins swam to victory in both the 100m (1:17.26) and 200m backstroke (2:42.04), matched by team mate Sonny Ford from Grays, who won both the 100m and 200m fly (1:21.49, 2:53.91). Bradley Clarke completed the rout by winning the 200m and 400m freestyle (2:26.65, 5:02.32) and scooping 2 other 1st places in the 200m breast (3:14.92) and 200m IM (2:46.64). Eleven year old Charlie Hard completed the boys dominance in the 10/11 year age group by taking 1st spot in the 400IM (6:28.03) and 2nd in the 200m fly (3:12.33).
In the girls 10/11 year category, Amy Beardwell Lacy continued her recent medal winning habit by claiming victory in the 200m Fly (2:53.61), and collecting 2nd places in the 100m Butterfly (1:20.24) and 400m IM (5:54.68). Ten year olds, Amy Gore and Kayleigh Sims, were only separated by a finger nail in the 100m breastroke final with Amy taking top spot (1:28.55) and Kayleigh taking 3rd place (1:28.60). Kayleigh went on to collect an additional 3rd place in the 200m event (3:12.66).
Thurrock's haul of top 3 places was completed by some of Thurrock's more experienced female swimmers. Fourteen year old Georgina Hunt won the 400m IM (5:15.41) and swam to four 2nd places in the 200m free (2:14.33), 200m IM (2:32.33), 100m fly (1:09.33) and 400m free (4:37.90). Meanwhile Shannon Harold won 2 events in the same 14/15 age category, the 400m Free (4:36.00) and the 200 fly (2:33.73) to add to two 3rd places in the 400m IM and 200m free. Sixteen year old Jessica Ford was placed in the top 5 in all of her 7 events which included wins in the 100m breast (1:19.05) and 400m IM. Jessica also claimed 4th place in the girls 16 and over skins final.
Thurrock swimmers also picked up an additional haul of 4th, 5th and 6th places, all of which were awarded with medals.
Thurrock Swimming Club would like to thank the various local companies who very kindly donated prizes for the Club Christmas Raffle. These include : Feel Good Digital Photography, Down to Earth Florists, Essex FM, Forget me Not Florists, Hair & Beauty Crammavill Street, Odeon and Vue Cinemas, Parkside Inn, Remo Tanning and Nails, Sports Corner, Threshers Blackshots, Threshers Crammavill Street, Thurrock Garden Centre.
A total of £255 was raised in this Christmas Raffle and the Club would like to say many thanks for the support of these local retail companies