RTSC Gala Reports

Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th March - Essex Championships 2010 - Braintree

Town Close in on Top County Team Title

With only one weekend remaining of this year's Essex County Age Group Championships, the competition is poised for an exciting finale as Romford moved up on the shoulder of current leaders Thurrock, just 40 points team points adrift. Another thrilling weekend saw Romford Town swimmers amass 33 medals, fourteen Gold, eight Silver and seven Bronze.

Town opened their account with a medal of each colour in the first event, the boys 1500 metres Freestyle. In this, Sean Houlihan was followed home by team mate George Foley for a 1-2 in the 14 years category. While Sam Bishop bagged his first medal of the weekend, a bronze in the 12 years age group.

There were three more titles to come from a rejuvenated Houlihan though it was 14 years old Elena Sheridan that was rewriting the record books as she smashed the County Junior Girls 100 metres Butterfly record by more than half a second in her very first swim of the day. Her time of 1min 03.51secs was also nearly two seconds faster than the previous event best time from a 14 years old. She repeated the feat over the 50 metres distance, gaining another Event Best Time (EBT), stopping the clock at 29.30secs. She again demolished the County Junior Record by more than 0.6secs. As expected though, this was a close race against the current record holder and Sheridan was pushed all the way before making it Gold number two.

Elena gained three other medals, and another EBT over 1500 metres Freestyle, though as happened in the 800 metres event in the previous round of competition, this EBT was short lived and she had to be content with silver. As before, her time was lowered further in the next race by Waltham Forest's distance freestyle specialist, Poppy Hill. Sheridan’s other two individual medals, both silver, came unexpectedly from her two weakest events the 100 & 200 metres Backstroke. Seeded well down the programme on both occasions she stormed through to take the runner up place both times.

She also joined forces with Harriette Davis, Bethaney Hall and Nicole Raymond for a clear win in the Women's Open 4 X 100 Medley Relay event. Having qualified to the final as favourites, Hall hit the front on the breaststroke lap and the Romford girls stretched their lead to take the victory by more than 10 metres by the finish.

In amongst all of this excitement Houlihan had grabbed an EBT (1min 02.97secs) of his own, showing his rivals a clean pair of heels, as he lead the 100 metres IM from start to finish. His third Gold of the weekend came over 100 metres Butterfly where again a strong opening 50 metres gave him a decisive advantage that was held through to the finish. In this exhilarating final, where only 0.5secs separated the next five swimmers, Town’s Harry Coker finished fast to snatch the Bronze and George Foley just half a stroke further back was unlucky to get only 6th. Houlihan made it Gold number four over 200 metres IM where again he took command early on. Again Coker and Foley featured in the top six as both set substantial PB’s to finish 3rd and 4th respectively.

Romford's new recruit 10 years old Holly Hildrew secured the first of her three Gold medals over 200 metres Breaststroke, seeing off a spirited fight by Canvey Island's top seeded Gabrielle Quigley over the last 50 metres. Hildrew's win over 50 metres Butterfly was emphatic, finishing nearly five metres clear with a time of 34.66secs. She produced another impressive performance in the 400 metres IM where a strong breaststroke lap gave her an unassailable lead which she extended further on the freestyle. Her winning time was 5mins 53.78secs. Team mate Anna Manning, who also had a strong breaststroke lap, finished 5th.

In the boys 17 years+ 1500 metres Freestyle, James Davis and Daniel Stepton were unlucky not to replicate the 1-2 achievement of Houlihan and Foley as they came away with 1st and 3rd places. After a slow early pace and some cat and mouse antics, Davis made the decisive break just after 800 metres and from this point he was unchallenged. A fast time posted in the previous heat was nearly the undoing of both swimmers though despite the cautious start Davis did just enough for his win. Stepton left his charge a little late and was pushed out to 3rd place. He did however secure a Silver medal from a powerful display in his 50 metres Freestyle event. In the 400 metres Freestyle event he was 3rd and Davis finished 4th.

13 years old Brock Whiston added to her growing collection of County medals with a four seconds PB and a Bronze from her opening 200 metres IM swim, though another PB over 200 metres Backstroke only brought her 4th place. Having notched up her first gold of the campaign over 50 metres Breaststroke in Round 1 she wasn’t going to give up the 200 metres event without a fight. Not fazed by her 5th placed seeding she went on the attack from the start though it wasn’t until she moved up yet another gear over the last 25 metres that she knew the Gold was hers. Her winning time of 2mins 48.33secs was a seven seconds PB.

15 years old Harriette Davis added to her relay gold with an individual win in the 200 metres Backstroke. Hampered by Illness and injury for much of the season she faded a little over the closing stages but had done enough over a gutsy first 100 metres to make the title hers. She may have done better than second place in the 100 metres event had the final not have been so close to that of the relay. Here team mate Rachel Welsh, who had also been ill for much of the week, stepped in to grab the title. Clearly still not fully recovered, she only managed 5th place in the 200 metres event. Davis was again some way below par in her 1500 metres Freestyle swim but her determination pulled her through to the silver medal.

Sam Bishop showed that he is back in business as he eased his way through the pack to take silver in the 200 metres IM. With his newly found confidence he turned a few heads as he set PB’s in both heat and final to help himself to the Bronze medal in the 100 metres Freestyle, with a time of 1min 03.05secs. He also had a top 6 finish in the 100 metres IM event.

11 years old Bethany Moore put in a strong swim for Silver over 200 metres IM. Another PB performance over 200 metres Backstroke secured here her second medal, a Bronze.

The three remaining medals, two Silver and a Bronze were added to the Town tally by Louise Harrington, Kieron Gore and Harry Taylor. 15 years old Harrington finished strongly in her 100 metres Butterfly to set a PB time of 1min 10.32secs and a share of 2nd place. 11 years old Gore improved on his 6th placed standing to finish as runner up and one of Romford’s youngest competitors, 9 years old Harry Taylor showed what a prospect he could be as he swam himself into two finals, his best a 3rd place in the 50metres Breaststroke.

What a great weekend of swimming. Well done to all.