RTSC Gala Reports

Saturday 21st/Sunday 22nd November - Essex Special Age Group Relays - Braintree

Whilst the Senior and Youth swimmers were having a successful weekend at this year's Essex Open Championships the younger members of the club were demonstrating that there continues to be plenty of talent for the years to come as they competed in the County 'Special Age Group' relays.

Romford has a good history of success in these relay events and this weekend was to prove no different as their overall performances led them to take away the Bob Fitzgerald trophy for the fifth time in eight years.

Saturday saw the 11/12 year olds contest the 4 x 50 metre freestyle and medley relays and it was the 11/12-year-old girls’ medley team that excelled as they got the relay competition off to a great start.

The team of Bethany Moore (Backstroke) Jodi Whitehead (Breastroke) Rosie Webber (Butterfly) and Victoria Christmas (Freestyle) swam to a terrific 1st place and gold medals all round in what proved to be an exciting final.

The 11/12-year-old boys’ team continued the excitement too in their medley relay as although only ranked 5th fastest for the final the team of Sam Hollington (Backstroke) Kieran Gore (Breastroke) Toby Mascall (Butterfly) and Sam Bishop (Freestyle) raised their game by gaining two places to snatch 3rd place.

In the 4 x 50 metre freestyle relay the boys’ team of Sam Bishop, Luke Sheridan, Kieran Gore and Connor Houlihan swam equally well only to be just touched out of second spot and having to settle for the bronze medal.

The boys’ 'B' freestyle team of Toby Mascall, Sam Hollington, Sam Allsop and Sam Coker narrowly missed making it two Romford teams in the final, as they were 1st reserve.

The girls’ 4 x 50 metre freestyle team of Rosie Webber, Bethany Moore, Sophie Ward and Victoria Christmas ensured further medals were gained on day one as a further very good performance saw them come 3rd in another exciting final.

Day two of this year’s championships saw the 9/10 year olds compete in their relay competitions and once again it was the medley relay that was to prove Town's strongest event.

The 9/10 years boys’ team of Sam Ellis (Backstroke) Aiden Jackson (Breastroke) Mitchell Wilson (Butterfly) and Zac Coleman (Freestyle) swam a great race to gain 2nd spot and well deserved silver medals.

In the 4 x 50 metre freestyle relay the same boys' quartet did well in gaining 4th place earlier in the day.

The 9/10 years girls’ medley team were also competing strongly as the team of Chloe Thompson (Backstroke) Victoria Bishop (Breastroke) Hannah Binning (Butterfly) and Maddie Webber (freestyle) came 4th in their final whilst the same quartet produced a battling performance in the 4 x 50 metre freestyle relay where having made the final as 7th fastest gained a place to finish 6th.

Proving strength in depth the girls’ medley 'B' team of Erin Corney, Katie Trott, Sophie Mascall and Daisy Nolan Day just missed out on the final also as they were 1st reserves.

Also competing on the second day of competition and representing the boys’ 9/10 years 'B' team were Ben Davis, Robert Benson, David Brooks and Liam Fearon all swimming well in their two relay events. Georgia Milton replaced Sophie Mascall in the freestyle relay giving the two nine year olds valuable experience for when they compete again in this competition next year.

Well done to all the relay teams!