RTSC Gala Reports

Saturday 20th March and Sunday 21st March - National Meet de Nice, France

Romford Town juniors, 13years old Brock Whiston and 14 years Harry Coker followed last month’s successes by their older teammates in Luxembourg with medals of their own this weekend at the international age group competition in Nice, France. Travelling with the County’s best swimmers as part of the Ortus Londinium team, the Romford pair took on a tough two day programme and despite both being the youngest in a joint two years age group, came home with two medals each.

There was Gold for Whiston in the 200 metres Breaststroke. A PB in the heats had swept her into the final in second place though some way behind the fastest qualifier. A storming four seconds PB time of 2mins 53.36secs in the final was enough to give her the verdict by a fingernail. The final of her 400 metres IM event came directly after, giving her little time to recover, or another medal would surely have been her’s here too.

Coker warmed up with a PB in the final of the 50 metres Butterfly, though finished just outside of the medals. A six seconds PB time of 5mins 08.54secs gave him his first medal, a bronze, in the 400 metres IM where he followed in two older French competitors.

On day two both had strong swims over 200 metres Butterfly and both came away with a bronze medal. Despite the fatigue of the weekend’s schedule, Whiston’s time of 2mins 38.03secs was close to her best. Coker, who had a slightly easier first day, still had a little left in his locker for his main event and his 3rd placed time of 2mins 24.72secs gave him another long course PB.

Well done to both Romford swimmers and the rest of the Ortus Londinium team.