July Bonanza!
On the weekend of 16th and 17th July Rotherham Metro held their level 3 short course open meet that attracted many swimmers from all over the UK. Swimmers had to achieve entry times to qualify for the meet, resulting in three categories being awarded, A grade, B grade and a speeding ticket (for swimming faster than the cut off time).
Boys Competition
In the boys competition brothers Aaron and Dale Waterhouse scored a perfect 100% in the speeding ticket stakes with Aaron (17) collecting nine out of nine in the events he entered and Dale (19) doing likewise collecting eight out of eight in the events he entered. Eighteen year-old Simon Worne managed seven speeding tickets and a grade A bronze in the 50 Fly, Robert Pearson (12) gained a magnificent five speeding tickets and Gold in the A grade 50 breaststroke. Seventeen year-old Adam Parkes claimed four speeding tickets followed by three A grade bronze medals in the 50 Freestyle and breaststroke and 100 Breaststroke. Fourteen year-old George Russell claimed a Hat-trick of speeding tickets and a gold A grade in the 100 backstroke, also fourteen Matthew Sotheran claimed two speeding tickets and a gold in the A grade 100 breaststroke. Jack Mcgann was in outstanding form claiming 1 speeding ticket and 6 Gold A grade medals in the 100 and 200 IM, 100 freestyle, breaststroke and 50 freestyle and fly and followed this up with a bronze A grade in the 50 backstroke. James Shiel (15) was in scintillating form claiming gold in the A grade 100 fly and IM with A grade silver in the 100 breaststroke and a bronze in the 200 freestyle. Sixteen year-old Scott Mason claimed gold in the A grade 200 breaststroke and bronze in the A grade100IM, also sixteen Josh Whitehirst claimed 2 A grade silver medals in the 100IM and 100 freestyle. Josh Hillman scored a magnificent seven medals with Bronze A grade’s in the 100 and 200 backstroke and 100 freestyle and a hat-trick of golds in the B grade 100 fly and 200 fly and backstroke with finally a B grade bronze in the 100 breaststroke. William Bailey (15) put in a tremendous swim to claim the B grade gold in the 100 freestyle, also in outstanding form was Devin Kellet (12) who claimed B grade silver medals in the 100IM and 50 freestyle. Sam Pearson (15) once again put in solid performances claiming the B grade silver in the 50 backstroke and B grade bronzes in the 100 backstroke and 100IM.
Girls Competition
Leading the way in the girl’s competition was Elven year-old Rebecca Finnie who claimed 5 speeding tickets followed by silvers in the A grade 200 IM and backstroke with a B grade silver in the 100 fly. Up and coming future Metro star Debbie Cocking (10) also achieved 5 speeding tickets plus silver in the A grade 200 breaststroke. The very versatile Emily Shone (14) scored ten out of ten with 4 speeding tickets and 5 A grade gold’s in the 100 IM and breaststroke, 50 freestyle and backstroke and 200Im and finally wrapped it up with a bronze in the A grade 100 fly. Jessica Bushby (14) continued in her fine form by claiming an hat -trick of speeding tickets and gold in the A grade 100 fly followed by bronze medals in the A grade 100Im and freestyle. Charlotte Pearson (16) claimed a speeding ticket in the 50 fly followed by A grade gold’s in the 50 backstroke and freestyle. Holly Sotheran (12) claimed a speeding ticket in the 100IM and 50 fly, Rebecca Bamber (11) yet another future Metro star claimed a speeding ticket in the 100IM with A grade gold in the 100 breaststroke and a hat-trick of A grade bronze medals in the 200 backstroke, breaststroke and 100 freestyle. Thirteen year-old Rebecca Britten was in outstanding form claiming a speeding ticket in the 50 freestyle followed by gold in the A grade 50 backstroke and silvers in the 100IM and freestyle and finally wrapping it all up with a B grade gold and bronze in the 100 backstroke and fly respectively. Swimming exceptionally well was 14 year-old Shannon Eades who claimed an hat-trick of gold A grade medals in the 100IM, 100 freestyle and 50 backstroke and in top form also was Abbie Hull (13) who had a fantastic haul of 8 medals which were double gold in the A grade 100 and 200 backstroke with A grade silver in the 50 backstroke and 5 A grade bronze medals in the 100 IM, freestyle and fly ,200 IM and freestyle. Bethany Woodcock (14) won gold in the A grade 100 freestyle, silver in the A grade 100IM, bronze in the A Grade 200 freestyle and finally silver B grade in the 100 breaststroke. Chloe Rooker (13) claimed A grade gold in the 50 freestyle with a bronze in the A grade 50 fly and 2 bronze medals in the B grade100 breaststroke and 200 freestyle. Alicia Hartley managed a Grade A gold, silver and bronze in the 50 breaststroke, 50 backstroke and 200 Freestyle, also 12 Alice Aucott claimed A grade gold in the 50 fly and silver in the 100 fly. Eleven year-old Abbie Ackroyd claimed the A grade gold in the 100 breaststroke in a very tightly contested race. Ten year-old Kayley Britten was in splendid form claiming a hat-trick of medals which consisted of A grade bronze in the 50 fly followed by a B grade silver in the100 fly and a bronze in the B grade 50 freestyle. In the 15 and over section Frances McGrother a bronze in the A grade 100IM, also in the 15 and over section Kelsey Longden claimed B grade gold in the 200 breaststroke. Staying in the 15 and over section Kimberly Bush claimed double gold in the B grade 100 freestyle and 50 breaststroke and also taking a B grade silver in the 50 fyl. Eleven year-old Rebecca Durn claimed gold and silver in the B grade 50 freestyle and fly, also eleven Ceri Thorman put in two fantastic swims to claim B grade silver in the 200 backstroke and bronze in the 50 fly. Lyn Shackshaft (14) claimed B grade gold in the 100 breaststroke and B grade bronze in the 50 freestyle, also 14 Fiona Connell claimed gold in the B grade 100IM. Kenyon Kellett took double B grade silver medals in the 50 breaststroke and 200 freestyle with Heather Wellings (13) taking a B grade bronze in the 50 freestyle and 14 year-old Nicole Clarke taking a B grade bronze medal in the 100IM.
Also competing:
James Newton, Katie Pollard, Laura Gillott, Ruth Brown, Holly Fenwick, Hannah Dannatt and Lucy Fenwick