RTSC Gala Reports

Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th February - Essex Championships 2010 - Braintree

Monumental Town Maintain Momentum

Romford Town swimmers got off to a strong start on the second weekend of this year's Essex County Age Group Championships at the Braintree Swimming Centre. Whilst there were no medals from the opening 800 metres Freestyle events, three PB swims and three 4th places in each of the girls 11 to 13 years categories from Sophie Ward, Victoria Christmas and Brock Whiston was already better than expected, and set the tone for another successful two days of competition.

14 years old Sean Houlihan, who has had a tough time of things so far this session with injury and illness, returned to winning ways in the boys 100 metres Breaststroke. He followed a PB in the heats with an even faster swim in the final, taking the title with a time of 1min 10.43secs. This was to be the first of his four gold medals from some outstanding swims.

14 years Elena Sheridan had her own special weekend and this started in the very next final, the girls 100 metres IM. A controlled opening 50 metres of Butterfly and Backstroke was the ideal opening as she powered ahead on the Breaststroke lap. She widened this advantage still further on the Freestyle to set a new Event Best Time (EBT) of 1min 08.01secs. Team mate Bethaney Hall also came through on the Breaststroke and held a strong last Freestyle lap to take the Bronze.

Romford's latest recruit, 10 years old Holly Hildrew lived up to her number one billing in the 200 metres Freestyle by holding off all opponents to take the crown and seeing off some fierce challengers.

In the day's second session, Sheridan amazed those watching by smashing the previous EBT over 800 metres Freestyle by more than eleven seconds and bettering her previous best over the distance by nearly thirty seconds. Her EBT of 9mins 10.77secs was, however, short lived on this occasion as Waltham Forests distance Freestyle specialist Poppy Hill went three seconds faster in the event's last heat, and Sheridan had to settle for silver. Again team mate Hall was a top six finisher, also setting an impressive PB time.

Houlihan lead a Romford 1-2-3, in the boys 14 years 400 metres IM. Despite his relative lack of fitness, he, like Sheridan, bossed the race from the outset and followed a controlled Butterfly lap with a strong Backstroke swim. With his strongest Breaststroke lap still to come he opened up an unassailable lead and went on to win with a PB time of 4mins 52.47secs. George Foley smashed his previous best time,too, but left his assault until the Freestyle lap, surging through to secure 2nd place. An equally strong finish by Harry Coker brought him out of the pack to take the bronze.

Romford also had three boys in the top six of the 11 years 100 metres IM. Kieran Gore, who despite being pressed all the way, would not be caught, taking the win by a fingernail. Training partners Calum Connelly and Jack Ayling were third and sixth respectively.

Town's other medallists in this tough afternoon session came from 18 years old Daniel Stepton who was within a second of his best in taking silver over 200 metres Breaststroke , Holly Hildrew took bronze in the 200 metres Backstroke and 11 years old Bethany Moore came away with silver in the 100 metres Backstroke. Moore looked to have done enough in the closing stages to have things all wrapped up only to surrender the race on the last stroke, losing out by only 0.03secs.

Houlihan got the ball rolling early on Sunday morning as he sliced nearly 20 seconds off his previous best 800 metres Freestyle time. In a well paced swim he hit the front at the race mid-point and from there pressed home his advantage to take his third win with a time of 8mins 53. 26secs. Foley made it a Town 1-2 as he again left his challenge until the closing stages coming through to snatch the silver with a time of 9mins 01.39secs. Coker took a creditable 6th spot.

In the heats of the girls 14 years 100 metres Breaststroke, Sheridan blew away all her rivals over the first 50 metres to storm home with a three seconds PB, a National Qualifying Time and her third EBT with 1min 14.83secs. Whilst she was unable to improve further on this in the final, she secured win number two of the weekend. Again, team mate Hall was not far behind as she grabbed the silver.

Daniel Stepton was in complete control in his main 100 metres Backstroke event. A swift opening 25 metres gave him a lead into the first turn, an advantage he would not relinquish as he defended his title with a time of 58.24secs.

In the boys 11 years 200 metres Butterfly event, Jack Ayling who was seeded nine seconds behind his Thurrock rival came within one second of producing an upset. After a neck and neck first 100 metres Ayling let his opponent take the advantage by the three quarters mark, but produced a spirited come back to provide a grandstand finish. Both boys smashed the previous EBT by more than three seconds. Town’s Calum Connelly also demolished his previous best time to take 4th place.

It was 17 years old James Davis's turn to take the first gold of the weekend's final session with a confident 800 metres Freestyle swim. He and team mate Stepton went head to head and there was never more than one stroke between then throughout the race. It was Davis's newly acquired sprint finish, however, that settled this one this time round.

Sheridan and Hall again secured the gold and silver in the girls 14 years 200 metres Breaststroke event. For Sheridan this was win number three as she again rewrote the record books improving on the event's EBT of 1996 by more than 1.50secs to stop the clock at 2mins 39.35secs. Amy Beardwell-Lacey came close to making it a Romford clean sweep as she finished 4th.

Sean Houlihan made it win number four and a four seconds PB in the 200 metres Backstroke. Another perfectly judged race saw him take the lead at the mid-turn where he opened up a decisive advantage that he extended further by the finish. His winning time was 2mins 13.85secs.

In the last event of the day, 10 years old Holly Hildrew got the better of her Harwich rival in another close tussle for the 100 meters IM crown. As both turned together on to the Freestyle lap there was nothing to separate them, but Hildrew proved the more determined and triumphed by less than a stroke.

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 were:-

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Well done to all that swam.

Gary Rogers