ALEXANDRA Barry of Pershore Swimming Club secured her first ‘Top Girl’ award at the City of Coventry Open Meet at the weekend in the international 50m pool, as the 28-strong team put in a strong performance to win 66 medals.
Barry (11) claimed eight medals over the weekend including six gold medals and closed in on several Midland Qualifying Times (MQTs) as she produced a string of personal bests.
Victories for Barry came in the 200m IM (2.53.49), 50m freestyle (33.23), 100m backstroke (1.22.68), 200m backstroke (2.51.49), 400m freestyle (5.23.33) and 50m fly (35.74).
Barry also claimed silver medals in the 200m freestyle (2.37.32) and 100m freestyle (1.13.08) to claim the prestigious award for her efforts.
Chris Vizard (12) was unlucky not to win the Top Boy award, just being edged into second place, despite bagging a staggering 11 medals.
Gold medals for Vizard came in the 100m freestyle (1.06.41), 50m freestyle (30.50) and 100m fly (1.16.82) and he had to settle for silver medals in the 200m backstroke (2.49.29), 50m fly (34.27), 200m freestyle (2.29.52), 50m breaststroke (41.62), 100m breaststroke (1.30.41), 200m fly (2.53.25) and 100m backstroke (1.19.39). Vizard also grabbed third place in the 200m IM (2.47.01).
There were plenty of other Pershore swimmers getting on to the podium during the weekend, with numerous swimmers producing new PBs and lowering their County or Midland Qualifying Times.
Jasmine Franks, one of several rising stars amongst Pershore’s ranks, produced an excellent swim to win the 100m breaststroke in 1.40.50 to take gold in the 10-year-old age group.
Franks also added a silver medal in the 50m breaststroke (47.71) plus bronze medals in the 100m freestyle (1.16.45) and 50m fly (40.59).
Caitlin Yates was also among the medals in the 10-year age group, taking silver in the 100m breaststroke (1.40.99) and bronze in the 50m breaststroke (48.17).
Megan Annis claimed three medals in the 11-year-old age group, winning the 50m breaststroke (41.70) and being edged into second place in both the 100m breaststroke (1.32.39) and 200m IM (2.53.80).
Naomi Marsden (12) won gold, taking first place in the 200m IM (2.50.49) and 100m backstroke (1.16.18).
Isobel Cumming, also 12, claimed bronzes in the 400m IM (6.34.05) and 200m fly (3.24.43).
In the older age groups, Amy Cooper and Hannah Simister enjoyed successes in the 13-year age group. Cooper bagged five medals including gold in the 200m fly (3.07.19), while bronze medals came in the 100m freestyle (1.09.07), 200m backstroke (2.51.58), 50m fly (35.52) and 200m IM (2.56.43).
Simister produced a massive PB to seal gold in the 200m breaststroke (3.21.04) and then went on to win bronze in the 50m breaststroke in 42.89.
Beth Carter, although not producing a new PB, secured bronze in the girls 15-year and over 100m breaststroke in 1.26.47.
Competition was fierce within the boys 11 and 12-year old age groups, as several Pershore swimmers battled for honours.
Patrick Heeks (11) was again in excellent form, winning golds in the 100m freestyle (1.12.70), 200m backstroke (2.52.67), 200m freestyle (2.43.07) and 200m fly (3.02.19). He then took silver in the 100m fly in 1.20.74 and bronze in the 400m freestyle in 5.32.95.
Jamie Saunders managed to bag three medals. Saunders was brave enough to tackle the gruelling 400m IM and was rewarded with gold and a new PB time of 7.07.82.
He then took silver in the 200m fly (3.28.21) and bronze in the 100m fly in 1.35.67.
Kieran Cooper (11) swam to an excellent first place in the 100m backstroke (1.25.47), claimed silver in the 50m freestyle (34.02) and won three bronze medals in the 100m freestyle (1.16.27), 200m IM (3.03.23) and 50m breaststroke (47.51).
Ronan Williams was also among the medals for Pershore in the 11-year age group, winning silver in the 100m backstroke (1.28.78).
Simon Sweatman (12) managed four straight victories in the 400m freestyle (4.56.62), 200m fly (2.49.56), 200m IM (2.40.34) and 50m breaststroke (41.48), while Will Gearey (12) took gold in the 100m breaststroke in a new long course PB of 1.26.78 plus silver in the 400m freestyle (5.04.57) and third place in the 200m fly (2.58.65).
Luke Perry, also 12, bagged himself four medals with silver in the 50m backstroke (38.37) and bronze in the 200m backstroke (2.54.74), the 200m breaststroke (3.25.38) and 100m backstroke (1.21.66).
Amelia Gearey (10) achieved her first CQT in the 100m breaststroke with a new PB time of 1.46.87, while Owen Kirby (11), William Clarke (12), Ben Clarke (15), Gabriella Barry (10), Tamara Marsden (10), Jasmine Hoskins (10), Lauren Annis (10), Hazel Clay (11), Charlotte Downey (11) and Sophie Thomas (11) all produced personal bests or just missed out on podium finishes.