27 May 2007 - Waltham Forest Olympic Development Meet
Thurrock swimming stars continued their impressive recent run of results, when the boroughs most experienced swimmers competed in the Olympic Development meet hosted by Waltham Forest Gators. 13 year old twin sisters Abigail and Danielle Sayer splashed out with a double dose of success in the 12/13 year age category. In the 200m backstroke the identical twins, both students at William Edwards School, fought off strong opposition and remarkably both recorded exactly the same time of 2:29.84 to take joint first place. They were also evenly matched in the challenging 400m IM and were only separated on the touch with Abigail taking gold (5:17.35) and Danielle the silver (5:17.57). Abi went on to take two further gold's in the 100m back (1:11.63) and 100m fly (1:09.98) and a silver in the 200m IM (2:34.99), with Dani taking bronze in the 400m free (4:43.24) to add to 5th and 6th places in other events.
Remarkably, the Sayer's are not the only set of twins to come through Thurrock's successful squad system. Twin 13 year old brothers Alex and Thomas Mangan both students at Chafford Hundred Campus also put in fine performances in their favoured freestyle events. In the 400m Alex collected 5th place (4:52.07), with Thomas following closely behind to take 6th spot (4:54.79).
Competing in the same age group was national qualifier Charlie Hayes whose excellent season continued when he colleted a hat-trick of gold's in the 200m IM (2:30.49), 200m back (2:31.05) and 400m IM (5:07.81). The Grays School pupil then completed a fine weekend by taking silver in the 200m fly (2:28.81). Completing the line up in the 12/13 year category was Kerriann Chipperfield who took gold in the 400m free (4:39.18), silver in the 100m free (1:03.92) and 2 bronze medals in the 100m fly (1:11.01) and 200m free (2:16.26).
Borough swimmers also took the lion's share of medals in the 11 year and under age group. Chadwell based Bradley Clarke won an incredible 5 gold medals in the 200m and 400m IM (2:43.71 and 5:40.19), 200m and 400m free (2:24.66 and 4:56.63) and 200m breast (3:08.47). The good news for Thurrock was that the only defeats suffered by Bradley were to team mates Sonny Ford and Gareth Hawkins. Not for the first time this season, both Sonny and Gareth won gold in their specialist events, Sonny the 200m fly (2:47.63) and Gareth the 200m back (2:41.29), both just missing out on the prestigious and much sought after national qualifying time. Sonny went on to bag a bronze in the 400m IM (5:59.62) and both boys were joined by Thomas Head and Charlie Hard in collecting a combination of 5th and 6th places in other events.
For the girls 11 years and under, Amy Beardwell-Lacy swam to an impressive haul of four bronze medals in the 100m and 200m fly (1:16.47 and 2:47.02) and 200m and 400m IM (2:44.70 and 5:42.19).
Thurrock were also well represented in the 14/15 year and 16 and over age groups. Senior swimmer and regional champion Jessica Ford led by example and collected and impressive haul of one gold (200m back) and four silvers (400m free, 200m IM, 200m breast and 200m free) to add to a bronze in the 100m breast. Jessica also earned the coveted top girl award in the 16 years and over age category. Jessica was ably supported in this age group by the experienced Emma Backhurst who collected bronze medals in the 200m fly (2:42.98) and 400m IM (4:49.33) and 4th places in the 100m fly (1:15.42) and 400m free (4:49.53).
In the 14/15 year age group, top 6 placings were also plentiful. Fourteen year old Braden Wren took an impressive gold in the 200m fly (2:23.65) and a bronze in the 400m IM (5:10.32). Team mates Thomas Ford and James Mitchell weren?t to be outdone though, as Thomas picked up 4th spot in the 200m fly (2:33.19) and James 5th place in the 400m free (5:32.32). Despite facing some real top quality opposition, the girls in this age group also swam to some great performances. Georgie Hunt bagged two bronze medals in he 200m fly (2:28.93) and 100m breast (1:19.81) and a hat-trick of 4th places in the 200m IM, 200m breast and 200m free.
Megan Langridge also collected a bronze in the 100m fly (1:10.28) as did Shannon Harold in the 400m IM (5:10.98). The girls also swam to 4th, 5th and 6th places in other events. Thurrock completed their medal haul when Molly Epsly picked up 4th place in the 200m fly and Charlotte Lamb picked up a hat-trick of 5th places (400m free, 400m IM, 100m breast), with Francesca Day also taking 5th place in the 100m fly (1:19.07).
Team Thurrock finished the weekend an impressive 2nd place in the overall points total, beaten only by a strong Barnet Copthall team.
Competing in the same age group was national qualifier Charlie Hayes whose excellent season continued when he colleted a hat-trick of gold's in the 200m IM (2:30.49), 200m back (2:31.05) and 400m IM (5:07.81). The Grays School pupil then completed a fine weekend by taking silver in the 200m fly (2:28.81). Completing the line up in the 12/13 year category was Kerriann Chipperfield who took gold in the 400m free (4:39.18), silver in the 100m free (1:03.92) and 2 bronze medals in the 100m fly (1:11.01) and 200m free (2:16.26).
Borough swimmers also took the lion's share of medals in the 11 year and under age group. Chadwell based Bradley Clarke won an incredible 5 gold medals in the 200m and 400m IM (2:43.71 and 5:40.19), 200m and 400m free (2:24.66 and 4:56.63) and 200m breast (3:08.47). The good news for Thurrock was that the only defeats suffered by Bradley were to team mates Sonny Ford and Gareth Hawkins. Not for the first time this season, both Sonny and Gareth won gold in their specialist events, Sonny the 200m fly (2:47.63) and Gareth the 200m back (2:41.29), both just missing out on the prestigious and much sought after national qualifying time. Sonny went on to bag a bronze in the 400m IM (5:59.62) and both boys were joined by Thomas Head and Charlie Hard in collecting a combination of 5th and 6th places in other events.
For the girls 11 years and under, Amy Beardwell-Lacy swam to an impressive haul of four bronze medals in the 100m and 200m fly (1:16.47 and 2:47.02) and 200m and 400m IM (2:44.70 and 5:42.19).
Thurrock were also well represented in the 14/15 year and 16 and over age groups. Senior swimmer and regional champion Jessica Ford led by example and collected and impressive haul of one gold (200m back) and four silvers (400m free, 200m IM, 200m breast and 200m free) to add to a bronze in the 100m breast. Jessica also earned the coveted top girl award in the 16 years and over age category. Jessica was ably supported in this age group by the experienced Emma Backhurst who collected bronze medals in the 200m fly (2:42.98) and 400m IM (4:49.33) and 4th places in the 100m fly (1:15.42) and 400m free (4:49.53).
In the 14/15 year age group, top 6 placings were also plentiful. Fourteen year old Braden Wren took an impressive gold in the 200m fly (2:23.65) and a bronze in the 400m IM (5:10.32). Team mates Thomas Ford and James Mitchell weren?t to be outdone though, as Thomas picked up 4th spot in the 200m fly (2:33.19) and James 5th place in the 400m free (5:32.32). Despite facing some real top quality opposition, the girls in this age group also swam to some great performances. Georgie Hunt bagged two bronze medals in he 200m fly (2:28.93) and 100m breast (1:19.81) and a hat-trick of 4th places in the 200m IM, 200m breast and 200m free.
Megan Langridge also collected a bronze in the 100m fly (1:10.28) as did Shannon Harold in the 400m IM (5:10.98). The girls also swam to 4th, 5th and 6th places in other events. Thurrock completed their medal haul when Molly Epsly picked up 4th place in the 200m fly and Charlotte Lamb picked up a hat-trick of 5th places (400m free, 400m IM, 100m breast), with Francesca Day also taking 5th place in the 100m fly (1:19.07).
Team Thurrock finished the weekend an impressive 2nd place in the overall points total, beaten only by a strong Barnet Copthall team.
