PERSHORE Swimming Club sent a 40-strong squad to compete in the Worcester Open Meet and returned with a club record 109 medals, 140 County Qualifying Times (CQT), 16 Midland Qualifying Times (MQT) and 240 personal bests.
This is one of the first competitive meets in the 2014/15 season, giving swimmers the opportunity to compete against some of the top age-groupers in the county and further afield, as well as achieving County and District times for 2015.
Macey French (10), Chris Vizard (12) and Will Gearey (11) were all in great form, each winning over ten medals in their respective age groups and helping Pershore to second place in the Top Visiting Club competition behind Halesowen.
Girls 9 years – Lauren Annis (9) won gold in the 200m IM (3.27.15) and 50m backstroke (42.56), silver medals in the 200m backstroke (3.17.13), 50m fly (42.41), 50m breaststroke (47.72), 200m breaststroke (3.59.82) and 50m freestyle (36.57) and bronze in the 200m freestyle (3.10.96). Tamara Marsden (9) picked up silver in the 400m freestyle (6.55.97).
Girls 10 years – Macey French (10) was in excellent form, winning 11 medals including four gold medals and producing massive PBs throughout the weekend. French won gold medals in the 200m fly (3.37.33), 100m backstroke (1.26.97), 200m backstroke (3.03.40) and 100m fly (1.33.11), silver medals in the 400m freestyle (5.47.75), 200m IM (3.06.11), 200m freestyle (2.43.34), 100m freestyle (1.21.23); and bronze medals in the 50m fly (39.07), 50m backstroke (40.39) and 50m freestyle (34.29).
Hannah Woodcock (10) and French went head-to-head all weekend, with Woodcock also securing a string of first places. Woodcock grabbed gold medals in the 200m IM (3.01.03), the 200m freestyle (2.37.52), 100m breaststroke (1.34.32), 50m backstroke (38.42), 50m breaststroke (42.89) and 200m breaststroke (3.25.83) and had to settle for silver medals in the 50m fly (36.65) and 50m freestyle (33.26).
Jasmine Franks (10) also got amongst the medals, with a well earned second place in the 50m breaststroke final (44.61) and third places in the 50m fly (37.89) and 100m freestyle (1.21.12).
Girls 11 years – Charlotte Downey (11) produced dominant performances in the longer distance events, scooping two gold medals and a bronze. Downey fought hard to win the gruelling 200m fly (3.22.64) in a huge PB and then added a second gold by winning the 400m freestyle (5.34.16). Downey also secured bronze in the 400m IM (6.27.94), despite having little rest after the 400m freestyle.
Megan Annis (11) was unlucky not to bag any gold medals during the weekend, being edged into second place, but moved nearer to achieving MQT in several events. Annis grabbed silver medals in the 100m backstroke (1.17.72), 100m breaststroke (1.33.26), 100m freestyle (1.08.80), 200m backstroke (2.47.11), 50m breaststroke (41.11), 100m fly (1.25.66) and 50m freestyle (31.45) and bronze medals in the 200IM (2.57.44), 50m fly (34.76) and 50m backstroke (36.31).
Alexandra Barry (11) also secured bronze in the 400m freestyle, producing a 30-second PB to clock 5.47.17.
Girls 12 years – Naomi Marsden (12) was another swimmer unlucky not to grab gold, but her performances earned her two MQTs for 2015. Marsden produced a two-second PB in her favoured 100m backstroke, touching in 1.11.87 for silver and her first MQT of the weekend.
She was then edged into second place by her Halesowen rival in the 200m backstroke (2.32.74) but secured her second MQT. Both times put Marsden in the top five for end of year rankings in the Midlands district. Marsden added two further silvers in the 50m backstroke (33.47) and 50m freestyle (30.99).
Isobel Cumming (12) notched up good performances in the long distance events and produced massive PBs, with silvers in the 400m freestyle (5.29.83) and 400m IM (6.20.11). Breaststroke specialist Isabella Woodcock (12) won three silver medals in the 100m breaststroke (1.28.15), 50m breaststroke (40.09) and 200m breaststroke (3.14.39).
Girls 13 years – Jasmine Taite (13) secured a place in the sprint final, taking third in the 50m fly (33.53), while Amy Cooper took bronze in the 200m fly (3.07.22).
Girls 14 years – Beth Carter (14), another breaststroke specialist, produced a series of strong performances. Carter took silver in the 100m breaststroke (1.21.96) and 50m breaststroke (37.64), as well as adding bronze in the 200m breaststroke (3.07.15).
Girls 15/16 years – Alice Hall won four bronze medals in the 100m breaststroke (1.27.68), 100m freestyle (1.08.74), 50m breaststroke (39.44) and 50m freestyle (30.63).
Girls 17 over – Alexandra Dobell (17) won eight medals across the weekend and produced several PBs. Dobell was dominant in the 200m IM (2.55.82) and 50m breaststroke (44.11), winning two gold medals, and picked up silvers in the 50m fly (35.76), 100m breaststroke (1.36.47), 50m backstroke (35.89), 100m fly (1.24.03) and 50m freestyle (31.51). She also won bronze in the 100m freestyle (1.09.32).
Boys 9 years – James Heeks (9), one of Pershore’s youngest swimmers and competing in his first Open meet, qualified well to secure a place in the 50m backstroke sprint final. Heeks handled the pressure well to win his first medal with a well deserved bronze medal in 48.56.
Boys 11 years – Will Gearey (11) was in dominant form, winning 14 gold medals from 15 events as well as achieving 10 MQTs for 2015. Gearey won gold medals in the 400m freestyle (4.56.06 MQT), 400m IM (5.39.07 MQT), 200m IM (2.34.69 MQT), 50m fly (30.76), 100m backstroke (1.10.46 MQT), 200m freestyle (2.20.43 MQT), 100m breaststroke (1.23.66 MQT), 200m fly (2.52.21), 100m freestyle (1.02.78 MQT), 200m backstroke (2.33.84 MQT), 50m breaststroke (38.27), 200m breaststroke (2.57.38 MQT), 100m fly (1.11.38 MQT) and 50m freestyle (28.54).
He was edged into silver position in the 50m backstroke (33.02). Gearey’s performance saw him win the coveted Top Boy award and he now tops the end of year UK rankings (11-year boys) in all four 100m strokes.
Patrick Heeks (11) grabbed four medals, winning silver in 400m freestyle (5.25.56) and three bronze medals in the 200m backstroke (2.52.08), 50m backstroke (36.78) and 50m freestyle (33.23).
Boys 12 years – Chris Vizard (12), who has recently been making huge time improvements across the board, continued to shine across the weekend. Vizard grabbed 13 medals in total, with four gold medals in 100m breaststroke (1.29.96), 200m IM (2.46.34), 100m fly (1.17.01) and 50m freestyle (29.98). He also won silver medals in the 200m backstroke (2.43.38), 50m breaststroke (39.66), 200m breaststroke (3.12.91) and 200m freestyle (2.26.60) and bronze medals in 400m freestyle (5.08.67), 100m backstroke (1.18.25), 50m fly (34.07), 100m freestyle (1.06.920 and 50m backstroke (36.49).
Simon Sweatman (12) opted to take on the long distances only, winning gold medals in the 400m freestyle (4.53.32) and 400m IM (5.32.53). Both times were very close to MQT for 2015.
Luke Perry (12), who has recently joined Pershore, secured his first podium finishes for the club, taking silver in the 100m backstroke (1.18.25) and also bronze medals in the 100m breaststroke (1.34.42) and 50m breaststroke (42.90).
Many other swimmers achieved top five places and smashed PBs including Leo Rendall-Baker (9), Lewis Cribben (9), Max Aris (10), Oliver Smith (10), William Mullen (10), Kieran Cooper (11), Ronan Williams (11), Hamish Cross (11), Owen Kirby (11), Josh Sharratt (13), Jamie West (13), Gabriella Barry (9), Ruby Stankovich (9), Isabel Fairchild (9), Ella Webley (9), Elena Christodoulou (10), Amelia Gearey (10), Sophie Thomas (10), Caitlin Yates (10), Emily Drayton (11) Olivia Howard (11) and Hannah Simister (13).
