AGE GROUP CHAMPIONSHIPS

Split over 2 weekends, in a very hot Coventry pool, an incredible 13 of our Age Group Swimmers qualified for individual events in the ASA Midland Championships. This is the highest number of qualifiers we have had for many years, and there were loads more swimmers that were close.

The individual qualifiers were:

Britt Horton Connie Boden Ellie Wood Katie-Mae Boden Lucy Furnell Niamh Donovan

Aaron Costigan Adam Horton Euan Coxon Joe Hamilton Jon Baker Sam Matthews Tom McCallum

For 8 of these swimmers – Connie, Ellie, Euan, Joe, Jon, Katie-Mae, Lucy and Niamh, it was their first experience of Midlands Championships in Stourbridge colours.

In addition Kai Totney, Shannon Roche, Alex Price and Bethan Walters earned their place in the relay teams. My apologies to Chloe Lowe who should have been there.

With an amazing 46 entries between them, the racing was fast and furious. Tom McCallum headed the number of individual entries with 9 in total. With exceptional swims over all 4 days, Tom made the final in both the 200 breaststroke and 200 fly, narrowly missing out on the 200 IM as well. Highest place finish for Tom was in the 100 fly and 200 breaststroke, achieving 4^th place in each and just missing out on the bronze medal.

Next highest number of entries came from Adam Horton with 7 entries, bettering or equalling his 2011 placing in 5 of these events.

When it came to medals, Britt Horton claimed silver in the 200m back and bronze in the 100m backstroke, coming in on both events well inside the National Age Group Qualifying times.

Joe Hamilton was at the Championships for the first time in his swimming career and he made a real splash by making the final! Well done Joe, first time ever and already a Midlands Finalist – a phenomenal achievement.

A great achievement this year was that we were able to put in a boys and girls Relay Team in both the 400 freestyle and 400 medley relays. The boys really out did themselves on the 400 Freestyle relay finishing 5^th. Well done Adam, Kai, Sam and Tom – the only teams to beat you were squads! An exceptional result and an exceptional team. The fantastic four took to the water again for the 400 Medley relay, finishing a very respectable 7^th place. The girls team of Britt, Connie, Shannon and Katie-Mae came in 24^th on the 400 freestyle relay, with Britt, Alex, Bethan and Lucy coming in 19^th on the medley relay.

This was a fantastic 4 days of racing with large numbers of personal best times being achieved. Well done to all of the swimmers, you did us proud!

Becky Simkins