RTSC Gala Reports

Saturday 21st/Sunday 22nd November - Essex Junior/Senior Championships - Braintree

Of the three trophies up for grabs at this weekend’s Essex County (Senior/Junior) Championships and Special Age Group Relays event, Romford Town came away with two. As happened last year, absences proved decisive in the final outcome for the overall Top Club Title as Town came up short by only 14 points. Romford did however regain both the Masters Shield the Top Club trophy for the ‘Distance Events’ and the Bob Fitzgerald Shield as Top Club in the Relay Events. (See Kevin’s separate relays report)

In the close battle for the ‘Top Club’ trophy Romford swimmers pulled out all the stops as they chalked up eighteen County Titles.

Elena Sheridan, who only celebrated her 14th birthday only a couple of weeks ago, was in prolific form as she powered her way to thirteen medals which included six titles, five Junior and one Senior. Still on the mend after a bout of flu, she got off to a flying start over 200 metres IM, taking the Junior Crown and silver by finishing 2nd in the Senior category. This was followed immediately by silvers in both categories in the 200 metres Breaststroke where she conceded the titles to her team mate Bethaney Hall. Hall, who had set a two seconds PB in the heats knocked another second off her best time in the final, dominating from the start.

It was Sheridan’s turn to take full control over 200 metres Butterfly, as she too lead from start to finish. Her emphatic win was by more than fifteen metres and she was only 0.08secs outside of the County’s longest standing Junior Record. Her winning time of 2mins 19.70secs was also the first time she has dipped under the 2mins 20secs barrier. 15 years old Louise Harrington also set a PB in the event to take the Junior bronze. Three more outstanding swims followed from Sheridan, 100 metres Butterfly, 100 metres Breaststroke and 400 metres IM and three more Junior Titles, though on each occasion she was just beaten to the Senior crowns by older opponents. Hall added to her medal tally with Junior bronze in both the 100 metres Breaststroke and 400 metres IM.

It was a busy weekend too for James Davis and Daniel Stepton who shared ten titles between them. They both got off to a great start in the opening 800 metres Freestyle event as 18 years old Stepton set a strong early pace, with 16 years old Davis hot on his heels. As the race progressed they both maintained good form, building an unassailable lead. Stepton took the Senior win with a PB time of 8mins 23.40secs with Davis only three seconds further back in 2nd place. His gave him the Junior Title and both put valuable early points on the board towards the Masters (distance) Shield. 14years old Harriette Davis secured the bronze medal and a PB in the Junior girls event and 15 years old Alfie Burr chipped in with points for his Junior 5th place.

James Davis had another PB swim in the 400 metres IM which brought his second Junior gold and Stepton was run close but triumphed in both the 100 & 50 metres Backstroke events. 16 years old Thomas Toolis did well to secure Junior bronze in the 200 metres event.

Day Two opened with the 1500 metres Freestyle event, the second part of the ‘Distance’ competition, and Davis was in sparkling form. Brimming with confidence from day one and with a target of 16 minutes to beat, he set about his task in determined fashion. Davis established a significant lead by 400 metres and then turned up the heat further to run away with both the Senior and Junior titles, more than 50 metres ahead of 2nd place. Harriette Davis also controlled her heat to take the silver in the Junior event after finishing 3rd overall.

Stepton’s hectic schedule continued and with two 200 metres finals within ten minutes of each other. He had no option but to hold a little back in the IM event, where he still took 3rd spot, in favour of his main backstroke swim. A cautious start saw him more than a metre behind at the halfway mark and it was clear he had a battle on his hands. Still behind with 50 metres remaining he moved up yet another gear to secure gold in the last few strokes. It was Stepton and Davis again in the 400 metres Freestyle. Stepton left it late but his turn of pace over the last 50 metres again proved crucial and he took Senior gold leaving Davis to make it win number five for him too with the Junior crown.

Romford’s youngest male swimmer, 14 years old Sean Houlihan, whose training continues to be hampered by a niggling back injury did well to come away with four 3rd place finishes in the Junior competition. After a tentative start in the 50 metres Breaststroke, which brought his first medal, he followed it up with a positive performance over the 100 metres distance. Clearly more comfortable on day two he opened up with a PB over 200 metres Freestyle before setting another best mark for this third medal in the 200 metres IM. Despite being a little low on reserves he rounded off his weekend with another medal over 200 metres Breaststroke.

A little low on confidence at the start of the completion, 17 years old Jake Harrison grew in stature and after just missing out on Senior medals in both the 100 metres Breaststroke and 100 metres IM he popped in a strong 200 metres Breaststroke swim to take home silver. After a couple of 4th place finishes, 16 years old Nicole Raymond also bagged herself a couple of medals in the 100 metres IM event. Her 3rd place and a PB, also brought her silver in the Junior category.

In the 50 metres Backstroke 15 years old Rachel Welsh lowered her best time on two occasions to land the Junior silver and Alfie Burr snatched a bronze medal in his last event, the 200 metres Butterfly.

Other town swimmers the finished just outside of the medals but contributed to the overall points tally were, 13 years olds Brock Whiston and Amy Gore, 17 years old Sam Whitehead and 18 years old Jamie Harrington.

Well done to all