Romford Town Swimming Club
established 1900
RTSC Gala Reports
29th/30th March 2008 - Essex County Age Group Championships
Weekend Report
This weekend saw the last of the four Essex County Age Group Championships for 2008 and Town swimmers continued their successes from the previous weekends.
Saturday saw 12-year-old Sean Houlihan add a further Event Best Time to ones collected earlier during the Championships as he convincingly won the 100 metres Breastroke. Team mate Harry Coker, reaching the same final as fourth fastest qualifier, had a great swim too as he found a further two seconds to gain the bronze medal.
Competing in the 13 years 100 metres Breastroke, Thomas Clark mirrored Harry’s achievements in qualifying as fourth fastest for the final where a very gutsy last length propelled him to a third place finish.
14 year old Kelsey Richards ensured further Breastroke success for Romford swimmers as she added the 200 metres Breastroke title to the 100 metres title she gained a few weeks ago. Competing in an early heat, she swam a strong race to record a fast time for others to beat and had to watch anxiously, as the heats passed. Team mate Sian Aston gave it a go but had to settle for the bronze medal. Jessica Coles followed suit by winning the girls 15 years old 200 metres Breastroke in a very good swim.
16-year-old Daniel Stepton kept the gold medals coming on day one, as he won the 100 metres Backstroke in impressive fashion, dipping under the 60 seconds mark.Thomas Toolis, competing in the final of the 15 years age group swam to a good personal best time as he gained 2nd spot.
Kelsey Richards added a very good silver medal to her Breastroke title as she just narrowly missed out on winning the 14 years 100 metres Butterfly. In the 15 years age group final two Town swimmers battled it out as Jessica Coles took third place whilst Zoey Littlechild gained a good fourth place. Nicola Rees gained 6th place in the ladies 16 years and over age group.
13 year old Harriette Davis, despite being poorly during the week, battled bravely to a good second place finish in the 1500 metres freestyle, whilst in the corresponding event for the boys, Joseph Stamp came 6th in the twelve years age group.
Kelsey Richards completed her busy schedule of events on day one with a 5th place finish in the 14 years 200 metres Backstroke, whilst Nicole Raymond took 4th place in the 15 years age group.
Ten year old Sam Bishop gained 4th place in the boys 200 metres Backstroke and also 6th in the 200 metres Butterfly. Nine year old, Sophie Ward achieved a big personal best time to come 4th in the 200 metres freestyle.
Daniel Stepton continued to gain medals for Romford in Breastroke as he took 3rd in the 16 years and over age group 200 metres event, whilst Jake Harrison was 4th and James Davis 6th in the 15 years age group.
Day two of competition saw Kelsey Richards swim to an impressive victory in the 14 years 1500 metres freestyle, consolidating her place as the Top Fourteen Year Old Girl in the county at this year's Championships. Jessica Coles grabbed a good third place finish in the 15 years age group.
The boys were in impressive form in the 1500 metres distance also, as James Davis swam to an excellent silver medal as he competed in the 15 years age group, whilst Daniel Stepton took 3rd place in the 16 years category.
Sean Houlihan picked up from where he left off the day before in gaining another Event Best Time in the boys 12 years 200 metres Breastroke with Harry Coker coming 4th. Sean also picked up a silver medal in the 200 metres freestyle as he, like Kelsey, took the Top Boy Trophy in his age group. Joe Stamp swam a strong race to finish 4th in the 200 metres freestyle whilst thirteen year old Alfie Burr was 6th in his age group.
Elena Sheridan matched Sean and Kelsey’s achievements as she was awarded the Top 12-year-old Girl Trophy. Team mate Bethany Hall was second overall in this age group whilst adding a 4th place finish in the 200 metres backstroke and 6th in the 100 metres backstroke on the final day of competition.
In the thirteen years age group, Harriette Davis, continued to impress as she picked up two well-earned silver medals in the 100 and 200 metres Backstroke. She also gained a third place finish in the final of the 100 metres freestyle.
Competing in the boys 15 years 200 metres freestyle, James Davis swam a great race to take 3rd place as Tom Toolis finished 6th.
There were three Romford swimmers in the top six in the 16 years and over age group 200 metres freestyle event with Grant Chandler gaining a National Qualifying Time as he finished 2nd, Daniel Stepton 3rd and Jamie Harrington 5th.Daniel Stepton made it four members of Romford Town SC to take a Top Age Group Trophy as his overall performances gained him Top Boy in the 16 years and over age group category.
In the 200 metres Butterfly there were top six finishes for Sophie Ward who gained 6th place in the nine years age group and Victoria Christmas who came 5th in the girl’s 10 years age group.
Well done to all those that competed at this years County Age Group Championships.
Kevin Engstrom