RTSC Gala Reports

Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th February - Essex Championships 2009 - Waltham Forest

Romford Town swimmers had some mixed fortunes, but produced some great results on the second weekend of this year’s County Age Group Championships. There were nine more County Titles though this would have been more except for a competition entry mishap and a hotly disputed disqualification.

13 years old Sean Houlihan was in outstanding form and he continued from where he left off from the last round of competition with another clean sweep of the medals, with four wins from four swims. He made no mistake on his main event, the 100 metres Breaststroke. A relaxed and controlled swim in the heats was followed with a PB of 1min 12.77secs to take gold in the final. He chopped seven seconds off his previous best over 400 metres IM for his second gold with a time of 4mins 55.57secs. He was joined on the winners podium by team mates Joseph Stamp and Harry Coker as Romford swimmers made it a one, two, three, all with PB swims. Coker was also 4th in the 100 metres Breaststroke and Stamp was close behind in 5th place.

Houlihan, raised a few eyebrows as he hacked nearly 30secs off his previous best 800 metres Freestyle time to take his third victory by a seventeen second margin. An evenly paced 200 metres Backstroke swim made it win number four and the time of 2mins 20.80secs added another NQT to his growing list of qualifying times. Here Stamp was hot on his heals and he again put in another outstanding swim to take the silver.

14 Years old Harriette Davis had her most successful County weekend so far with a five medal haul from five swims. Honours were shared in her opening event, the 100 metres IM, though she nearly gave it away with an indecisive finish. A gold here was followed by silvers and PB’s over both 800 and 200 metres Freestyle. Davis’s recent improvement to her Breaststroke swims took another leap forward as she followed a win over 100 metres with another over the 200 metres distance.

In his first year in the 17 years and over age group Daniel Stepton experienced a roller coaster weekend with an unexpected gold over 200 metres Breaststroke followed by the disappointment of being denied entry to his main 100 metres Backstroke event. The elation of a PB time of 2mins 32.30secs in the Breaststroke event was tempered by the low of an unfortunate admin oversight that saw him omitted from the Backstroke. He had kicked off with a bronze medal over 200 metres Butterfly and there was still a bitter sweet twist over 800 metres Freestyle. Having set a blistering pace in the early stages, he ran out of gas over the final 100 metres and despite a 20 seconds PB he missed out on gold by only 0.03secs.

13 years old Elena Sheridan’s 6th place in the 800 metres freestyle was followed by a PB and 4th spot over the 200 metres event and an exciting four seconds PB in the heats of her 100 metres backstroke could not be repeated in the final. There was no stopping her in the 100 metres IM though as she powered her way to pole position with a PB of more than 5 seconds. Despite a slightly slower start in the final, she again took control over the Breaststroke lap to win with some ease. She rounded off her weekend with a PB over 400 metres Freestyle.

16 years old Jessica Coles was unlucky not to do better than three silver medals, missing out on gold in the 200 metres Breaststroke by less than 0.3secs after a strong last 25 metres. Her first medal came in the 100 metres IM where a good last length again kept her in 2nd spot. Between these two swims came the 100 metres Breaststroke and whilst she was a little out of sorts over this distance she was again in contention in another close finish.

In the same age group Nicole Raymond showed how her fitness levels have improved already this season with a PB of more than 20secs over 800 metres Freestyle, which secured her the bronze medal. She had done well to bounce back from the disappointment of a disqualification in the 100 metres IM earlier in the day, having posted the 2nd fastest time for the final. She did notch up her second medal on Sunday morning. Clearly still feeling the effects of the previous evenings 800 metres swim, she did well to hold together a gritty 200 metres Freestyle to take the silver.

In the boys 16 years age group, James Davis came away feeling very pleased with his weekend's work. Having achieved three top six finishes in his opening less favoured events, he went on to take 15 seconds off his previous best over 800 metres Freestyle to take silver. In this swim he narrowed the gap between him and his Redbridge rival to little more than one second. He set a new PB time of 8mins 34.37secs. Training partner Jake Harrison was close to his best, though he too was just pipped at the post over 200 metres Breaststroke. He added another top six finish with his first attempt at 800 metres Freestyle.

One of Town's youngest swimmers, 10 years old Sophie Ward, showed how she has come on leaps and bounds this season as she carved her way through the field to take bronze over the 200 metres Freestyle. Seeded outside the top six, her swim of 2mins 34.31secs was nine seconds faster than her previous best. An equally impressive display in the 200 metres Backstroke brought her close to another medal, as she finished 4th. She also added a 5th place in the 100 metres IM.

There were many more outstanding swims from Romford Town swimmers. Those that finished just outside the medals but collected points towards the overall championship title by reaching the final were:-

• Toby Mascall - 6th - Boys 10 years 200m Butterfly
• Victoria Christmas - 6th - Girls 11 years 100 Backstroke
• Victoria Christmas - 6th - Girls 11 years 100 IM
• Brock Whiston - 5th - Girls 12 years 800 Freestyle
• Brock Whiston - 5th - Girls 12 years 100 IM
• Bethaney Hall - 4th - Girls 13 years 100 IM
• Bethaney Hall - 6th - Girls 13 years 200 Freestyle
• Rachel Welsh - 6th - Girls 14 years 100 IM
• Louise Harrington - 4th - Girls 14 years 200 Free
• Louise Harrington - 4th - Girls 14 years 800 Free
• Alfie Burr - 4th - Boys 14 years 400 IM
• Alfie Burr - 4th - Boys 14 years 800 Free
• Tom Toolis - 5th - Boys 16 years 100 Back
• Tom Toolis - 5th - Boys 16 years 800 Free
• Tom Toolis - 6th - Boys 16 years 200 Butterfly
• Kira Fawke - 6th - Girls 17+ years 200 Free

Well done to all.