A STRONG contingent from Pershore Swimming Club attended the two-day Soundwell Open Meet at Gloucester which was the last chance for many swimmers to gain the all-important County Qualifying Times (CQTs) for the Worcestershire County Championships in the new year.
Izzy Cumming (13) was in sparkling form, starting off proceedings with a silver in the 400m individual medley (5.56.82).
Over the weekend Izzy took golds in the 50m (31.37), 100m (1.09.43), 200m (2.29.82) and 400m freestyle (5.06.28) and the 200IM (2.55.93), whilst she also claimed silvers in the 50m butterfly (35.31) and 100m backstroke (1.18.93) and bronze in the 100m butterfly (1.23.88) and 50m backstroke (37.68).
Amy Cooper (14) also impressed with golds in the 400IM (5.41.40), 200m (2.24.13) and 400m freestyle (4.58.88), silver in the 200m backstroke (2.40.81) and 200IM (2.42.48) and bronze in the 100m backstroke (1.15.76) and 50m breaststroke (41.70).
Brother Kieran and team-mates Ronan Williams, Hamish Cross, Jamie Saunders and Owen Kirby dominated the 12-year-old boys’ racing all weekend.
Cooper won gold in the 400m freestyle (5.17.19), 200m IM (2.50.99) and 100m backstroke (1.19.08), silvers in the 100m (1.09.00) and 200m freestyle (2.32.16) and bronze in the 100m (1.30.78) and 200m (3.22.80) breaststroke and 100m fly (1.22.51).
Hamish Cross added to the tally with eight golds – 50m backstroke (36.93), 50m (40.14), 100m (1.30.01) and 200m breaststroke (3.16.78), 50m (35.31) and 100m fly (1.22.29), 200IM (255.13) and 50m freestyle (32.04).
He also took two silvers in the 100m backstroke (1.21.25) and 100m freestyle (1.11.57) and bronze in the 200m freestyle (2.39.64).
Jamie Saunders took silver in the 50m (36.82) and 200m fly (3.04.16) and bronze in the 50m freestyle (33.42) and 200m (2.59.61) and 50m backstroke (38.93).
Ronan Williams took gold in the 50m (37.32) and silver in the 200m backstroke (2.55.68), whilst Owen Kirby won silver in the 50m breaststroke (44.16) and bronze in the 100m freestyle (1.13.49) and 100m backstroke (1.22.96).
Cameron Leach (11) continued the PSC boys’ great performance with gold in the 200 IM (3.01.81), silvers in the 200m backstroke (2.59.08) and freestyle (2.39.50) and bronze in the 200m breaststroke (3.37.27).
Lewis Cribbin (10) claimed silver in the 50m freestyle (37.43) and team-mate Max Murray achieved his first ever CQT.
For the older boys Luke Perry (13), swimming on the Sunday, won golds in the 50m freestyle (30.13) and 200m breaststroke (3.07.58) and silver in the 100m backstroke (1.14.91) and 100m freestyle (1.05.35). He also took bronze in the 50m breaststroke (39.78).
Josh Sharratt also impressed in taking five silvers – 50m backstroke (34.93) 100m backstroke (1.17.26), 200m backstroke (2.42.70), 200m freestyle (2.23.10) and 50m fly (33.13) – and three bronzes in the 50m breaststroke (40.52), 50m freestyle (29.81) and 100m freestyle (1.05.48).
Drew Jones (15) took bronze in the 100m breaststroke (1.21.75) and a CQT in the 50m freestyle.
The PSC girls were not to be outdone and, in addition to Izzy Cumming’s performance, Gabriella Barry (ten) took silver in the 50m freestyle (35.50) and bronze in the 200m breaststroke (3.50.42) and 100m freestyle (1.22.44).
Sophie Thomas (11) earned three silvers in the 50m fly (39.09), backstroke (39.47) and freestyle (33.13).
Caitlin Yates, also 11, swam strongly to collect four golds in the 50m fly (38.58), 200m backstroke (2.59.93), 50m freestyle (33.88) and 200m breaststroke (3.21.18) and two bronzes in the 200m freestyle (2.43.12) and 50m breaststroke (43.26).
Naomi Marsden (13) took gold in the 200IM (2.41.24) and 50m breaststroke (40.47) and silver in the 200m breaststroke (3.19.17), whilst Hannah Simister (14) won gold in the 50m breaststroke (40.40), silver in the 100m freestyle (1.08.79) and two bronze medals in the 50m freestyle (31.79) and 200m breaststroke (3.07.71).
There were numerous personal bests from swimmers across the age range including Helena Leach, Olivia O’Sullivan, Martha Cross, Oliver Smith, Ella Webley, Ethan Stanley, Martha Davey, Emily Drayton, Luke Drayton, Isabel Fairchild, Tamara Marsden and Hazel Clay.
Head coach Tom Naughton commented: “It was great to see such strong swimming across the age ranges and particular mention must go to Izzy Cumming and Hamish Cross as top boy and girl in this popular gala.”
If your child is interested in swimming with PSC, then call Tom Naughton on 07467 022315.