RTSC Gala Reports

Saturday 21st February - Essex League Division 2 - Rochford

With all Division 1 swimmers ‘League Tied’ , Romford Town’s Essex Swimming League Div 2 team was stretched to its limits when, already low on reserves, they became further depleted by more last minute withdrawals. However, those that did support the Club on Saturday evening had some outstanding swims, with most having to cover a number of events in addition to those swum in their own age group.

This lack of strength in depth was most apparent in the relay events where the gallant efforts of our younger swimmers could not match some of their older, stronger counterparts.

Town opened with two 3rd placed finishes in the U/11 Freestyle relay events with Sophie Ward, Victoria Bishop, Hannah Binning and Chloe Thompson first up for the girls and Sam Allsop, Conor Houlihan, Oliver Coles and Jonathan Toolis were next in the boys event. The same girls quartet later added another 3rd place in their Medley swim.

14 years old Kate Heptinstall stepped in to do the ladies Open 50 metres Butterfly and her 3rd place finish was with a new PB time of 36.62secs. She later added a 3rd place in the 100 metres Backstroke in the same age group. Andrew Ward followed her with a 3rd in the men’s Butterfly event and Shara Islam made it a 5th consecutive 3rd in the girls U/13 50 metres Backstroke. William Harding broke this sequence with a PB time of 35.72 and 2nd place in the boys event. He also added another individual 2nd place when he stepped up an age group to contest the U/15 100 metres Backstroke. Islam collected more 2nd place points with a time of 41.08secs over 50 metres Breaststroke.

Romford was restricted to only four wins all evening and the first of these came in event 12, the mens Open Medley relay. Lead out by Sam Whitehead on the Backstroke leg and followed by David Ward, Andrew Ward and Jamie Harrington the four boys provided a thrilling race, taking the verdict on a finger tip finish. The same foursome also bagged top points in the Freestyle relay event, whilst Harrington went on to chalk up his third success of the evening with a clear win in the Open 100 metres Freestyle. Whitehead was 3rd in the individual Backstroke and Ward was 3rd in the Breaststroke.

Town’s other win came in the boys U/11 Breaststroke as Jonathan Toolis powered to a PB time of 51.07secs.

The boys U/13 Freestyle relay team of Joshua Rogers, Oliver Applebee, Conor Toolis and William Harding came the closest to adding to this winning tally but had to be happy with 2nd spot. They were also runners up in the Medley relay event, later in the programme. The same quartet were 3rd when asked to step up to the U/15 category for the Medley relay. Applebee went on to add 3rd place in the U/15 100 metres Breaststroke and Rogers was 3rd in the U/13 Freestyle.

There were more 2nd places in the U/13 girls and boys Butterfly events from Hannah Coles and Conor Toolis. Toolis also had a strong swim to finish 3rd in his U/15 Butterfly race. In the U/11 age group, Sam Allsop was 3rd in both the 50 metres Freestyle and Backstroke events, and Oliver Coles matched sister Hannah with a 3rd spot in the Butterfly. For the girls, Sophie Ward took 3rd spot in the Breaststroke.

The U/13 girls relay teams of Sophie Thompson, Shara Islam, Courtney Wilson and Laura Brooks were 3rd in both their Freestyle and Medley relay events. Thompson added an individual 3rd place in the 50 metres Freestyle.

Other 3rd placed swims came from the girls U/15 Medley relay team of Kate Heptinstall, Isabel Allsop, Hannah Coles and Courtney Wilson, with Allsop also 3rd in her individual 100 metres Freestyle swim. Romford rounded off the evening with 3rd place in the mixed age squadron relay where, Sophie Ward, Sam Allsop, Courtney Wilson, Joshua Rogers, Hannah Coles, Conor Toolis, Isabel Allsop and Jamie Harrington put up a strong battling performance.

Final Scores:

1. Rochford 268
2. Braintree 212
3. Harwich 203
4. Romford Town 192

Another enjoyable night of competition. Well done all.