Local clubs land more county swim medals

The County Championship events only attract entries from the County’s most talented youngsters who can achieve the qualifying times, and this year local clubs Mansfield, Sherwood Colliery and Sutton are well represented with their very best nine-14year-olds battling it out for county titles, medals, National and Midland Regional qualifying times and overall top 10 finishing positions to achieve BAGCAT (British Age Group Category) Awards.

Mansfield Swimming Club enjoyed another bumper weekend with the squad setting over 40 new personal best times and enjoying three podium finishes.

Gracie Clifton (10) continued her excellent form from the first weekend of competition and secured a well-earned bronze medal in the 9/10yr girls 200m backstroke.

Her consistent form across all strokes and distances sees her going into the final weekend of competition in eighth place overall.

Rhys Taylor (14) is currently lying fourth overall in his age group and added a silver medal to his overall tally in the 13/14yr boys 400m individual medley and two bronzes in the 1500m freestyle and 200m breaststroke.

Including Gracie and Rhys, Mansfield currently have six swimmers in top 10 positions with Jack Armsby (9), Ellis Malson (11), Ben Sharrocks (13), and Henry Slawson (14) up there too.

Adding another 15 medals to their overall squad tally, including five gold and county champion titles, the Sherwood Colliery Swimming Club Squad have a remarkable 22 swimmers currently in top 10 positions.

They are Alexander Peeters Weem (9), Suranne Cave (9), William Darrington (10), Joseph Lewis (10), Dawid Sroka (10), Amelia Tunnicliffe (10), Rebecca Hyatt (10), Bailey Ward (11), Abbie Scott (11), Millie Standen (11), Owen Ottaway (12), Lily Boseley (12), Libby Coleman (12), Emily James (12), Tom Fletcher (13), Nathaniel Wood (13), Owen Wakefield (13), Kieran Harby (13), Jade Young (13), Evie Timms (13), Declan Smith (14) and Amelia Sale (14).

Lily Boseley (12) led the Sherwood medal-fest over the weekend with three golds and county champion titles in the 11/12yr girls 100m and 200m backstroke and 200m individual medley and a silver in the 100m freestyle.

Lily’s 200m individual medley time (2:30.69) was also a new National Age Group qualification time.

Amelia Sale (14) continued her fine form with another gold and junior county champion title in the 13/14yr girls 200m backstroke, two silvers in the 100m backstroke and 100m freestyle and a bronze in the 400m freestyle.

Owen Ottaway (12) took a well-earned gold and county champion title in the 11/12yr boys 1500m freestyle to add to a silver in the 400m individual medley and finals places in the 200m individual medley and 200m breaststroke.

Amelia Tunnicliffe (10), earned herself a podium finish and silver medal in the girls 9/10yr 200m individual medley and superb bronze medals went to Declan Smith (14) in the boys 13/14yr 100m freestyle and 200m individual medley, Nathaniel Wood (13) in the boys 13/14yr 200m butterfly and Joseph Lewis (10) in the boys 9/10yr 200m breaststroke.

Maintaining their reputation for achieving success in the butterfly events, six of the butterfly medals, including two golds, two silver and two bronze headed back to Sutton Swimming Club to help take their overall weekend medal tally up to 18.

Ruslan Golubs (14) led the Sutton SC charge, adding another five medals to his individual tally. He achieved three golds and junior county champion titles in the 13/14yr boys 400m individual medley, 200m butterfly and 200m breaststroke, adding silvers in the 200m individual medley and 50m freestyle.

Celebrations continued in the Fergie family with 12-ear-old Mia leading the way with two gold medals and county champion titles in the girls 11/12yr 100m breaststroke and 200m butterfly, silver in the 200m individual medley and bronze in the 100m backstroke.

Older sister Neve (14) was crowned junior county champion in the 100m freestyle and took a silver in the 400m freestyle and two bronzes in the 100m and 200m backstroke, while Jim Fergie (12), took silver in the boys 11/12yr 200m butterfly.

Talented nine-year-old Matthew Woodhall took a silver in the boys 9/10yr 200m breaststroke and a bronze in the 200m butterfly, with 10-year-olds Ellie Bunker taking silver in the girls 9/10yr 200m butterfly and Chloe Quinn a bronze in the 11/12yr girls butterfly.

The Sutton SC swimmers achieved over 100 personal best times between them and secured the Club’s highest number of Midland regional qualifications along the way.

Going into the final weekend, the club has nine swimmers currently in top 10 positions -Matthew Woodhall (9), Owen Harding (9), Chloe Quinn (10), Jim Fergie (12), Mia Fergie (12), Chloe Peach (13), Ruslan Golubs (14), Neve Fergie (14) and Sophie Bunker (14).

All three clubs now enter the final weekend of competition at Beechdale on 30th March to secure the last individual event titles and medals before competing in the exciting team relays.

Following completion of the individual programme, presentations will take place for the much sought-after British Age Group Category Awards (BAGCATs), which reward the top 10 swimmers in each age group for consistent standards of swimming across all distances and strokes.