Speeding Tickets Galore for Debbie
On the weekend of January 21st and 22nd Rotherham Metro held their 1st level 3 open meet of the New Year, which attracted swimmers from clubs from all over the UK and Cork from Ireland.. There are three categories that the swimmer can achieve, A grade, B grade and a speeding ticket that means the swimmer has swum faster than the cut off time. Over the weekend a total of 89 speeding tickets and medals of various grades and colours were won by Rotherham Metro swimmers.
Girls Competition
Leading the way was rising star Debbie Cocking (10) who was in scintillating form and was simply just too fast for her competition gaining a total of ten speeding tickets and an A grade silver in the 200 freestyle. Rebecca Finnie (12) claimed a hat-trick of speeding tickets with gold in the 50 fly, silver in the 50 and 200 backstroke, bronze in the 100 fly and backstroke and finally a B grade silver in the 50 breaststroke. Chloe Rooker (13) gained one speeding ticket and a magnificent haul of four medals consisting of gold in the 100 freestyle and 50 fly followed by silvers in the 100 and 200 fly. Abbie Ackroyd (11) won a speeding ticket in the 100 breaststroke and took a B grade gold in the 100 fly with a very measured swim. Rebecca Britten (14) claimed a well-deserved 5 medals against some very stiff competion in her age group; these consisted of gold in the 50 backstroke, silvers in the 50 and 100 freestyle with bronze coming in the 200 freestyle and B grade gold in the 100 breaststroke. Beth Woodcock (14) was in outstanding form claiming gold’s in the 50 free and 100 fly with a B grade silver in the 100 breaststroke. Backstroke specialist Abbie Hull (13) claimed gold in the 100 backstroke and silver in the 50 backstroke, also thirteen Holly Sotheran claimed gold in the 100 fly. Rebecca Bamber (12) produced a fine swim claiming the gold in the 50 backstroke with Fiona Connell (14) winning silver in the 200 fly and B grade gold in the 100 fly. Fast improving Kenyon Kellett showed what a prospect she is by claiming bronze medals in the 200 breaststroke and 100 backstroke. Kelsey Longden claimed silver in the 200 fly in the 15 and over category also in the same category Jess Bushby won the a B grade sliver in the 200 backstroke with Ruth Brown taking B grade bronze in the 50 freestyle. Dayna Towns was once again in fine form taking the silver in the 50 breaststroke with Holly Empson (10) showing her fine credentials by claiming B grade bronze medals in the 100 and 200 breaststroke and also ten Grace Esberger put in an outstanding swim to take the B grade silver in the 100 backstroke. A special mention must go to Kayley Britten whose birthday it was on the first day of the meet and despite being the youngest eleven year-old on the day she still managed to claim a bronze in the B grade 200 freestyle.
Boys Competition
In the boy’s competition James Shiel claimed two speeding tickets in the 15 and over age group and also a silver medal in the 50 breaststroke. Also in the same age group Thomas Gibbons claimed a speeding ticket in the 200 freestyle. Not to be outdone in the same category Josh Whitehirst claimed a speeding ticket and silver in the 50 fly and bronze in the 200 freestyle with Adam Parkes claiming an hat-trick of gold medals in the 100 and 200 freestyle as well as the 100 backstroke. Jack Whitehirst was once again in fine form claiming gold in the 200 breaststroke and freestyle with silver in the 200 backstroke, also claiming gold was Josh Hillman (13) in the 100 freestyle and bronze in the 100 backstroke. Probably some of the most courage performances of the weekend came from Connor Neal who was involved in an accident on the first morning of the meet preventing him from swimming. However despite his injuries he swam in the remainder of the sessions claiming a hat-trick of silvers in the 50 backstroke, fly and 200 breaststroke with bronze medals in the 100 fly and breaststroke. In the 15 and over age group there was a battle royal between the metro lads with Scott Mason claiming gold and bronze in the 100 and 200 breaststroke respectively closely followed by William Bailey who claimed a hat-trick of B grade medals, being gold in the 50 backstroke with silvers in the 50 and 100 fly. In the same category Sam Pearson claimed a B grade gold in the 100 breaststroke with James Newton taking silver in the 50 backstroke and bronze in the 200 breaststroke. In the twelve year-old age group fast improving Connor Wood claimed bronze in the 50 fly with B grade gold in the 100 fly and B grade silver in the 100 freestyle with Ben cliff taking bronze in the 50 freestyle and B grade silvers in the 50 and 100 breaststroke. Claiming a B grade gold was Devin Kellett (13) in the 100 backstroke with Brodie Benson (12) taking B grade silver and bronze in the 200 freestyle and 100 breaststroke respectively and finally Jack McGann (12) taking a B grade bronze in the 50 backstroke.
Other swimmers competing were:
Hannah Dannatt , Alicia Hartley, Shannon Eades, Jack Neill, Rebecca Durn, Kimberley Bush, Ellisia Dawson, Abigail Kennett, Harriet- Eve Esberger and, Lynne Shackshaft.