RTSC Gala Reports

23rd/24th May 2009 - Rotherham Metro Long Course Meet - Ponds Forge, Sheffield

Dan Stepton sets Senior County Record as Romford put up a strong performance in Sheffield

Romford Town swimmers again showed that they could compete with the best in the country as 25 swimmers did battle this weekend at Rotherham's Level 1, 'National Qualifier' competition at Sheffield's Ponds Forge International Pool.

17 years old Daniel Stepton started brightly and in his opening event,the Open 50 metres Backstroke, he set a blistering pace, only to be pipped by Loughborough University's Scott Hathaway on the last stroke. Steptons time of 27.78secs was, however, a new Essex County Senior Record, erasing the mark set by Martin Carl in 1995. A little more work on the finish will surely lower this time further. Despite the very tough Senior field, Stepton went on to record six other top ten finishes, securing another silver over 200 metres Backstroke and bronzes over the 100 metres Backstroke and 200 metres IM.

17 years old Jamie Harrington and 19 years olds Natalie Ward and Nicola Rees all did well to finish in the top ten. Harrington set a PB time of 2mins 01.27secs over 200 metres Freestyle and his 100 metres time of 55.35secs, whilst a PB, was only 0.2 short of the National Qualifying standard. Ward's best result came in the 50 metres Backstroke and Rees had her strongest swim over 100 metres Butterfly.

Before this, one of Town's youngest swimmers, 10 years old Bethany Moore, had got the ball rolling with a gold in her opening 200 metres IM event with a long course PB time of 2mins 53.49secs and team mate Sophie Ward was not too far behind in 6th spot. Moore went on to add four more medals with a win over 200 metres Backstroke, two runner up places in the 50 metres Backstroke and 50 metres Freestyle and a bronze from her 200 metres Freestyle. Ward was just ahead in this event as she took the silver with a PB time of 2mins 38.13. Ward was unlucky not to add to her medal collection finishing 4th in both the 200m Breaststroke and 200m Butterfly.

In the boys 10 years age group, Kieran Gore chalked up six top ten finishes. Having got off to a strong start over 200 metres Backstroke, his first medals, both bronze came over 200 metres IM and 200 metres Freestyle. He followed these up with comprehensive wins over 50 and 200 metres Breaststroke, with times of 41.77secs and 3mins 06.66secs. 10 years old Toby Mascall also chipped in with some fine swims as he followed up a 7th spot in the 200 metres IM with 3rd place in the 200 metres Butterfly with a time of 2mins 58.00secs, as he dipped under the 3mins barrier for the first time.

In a strong joint 13/14 years age group, Romford's 13 year olds put on a spectacular display against many older opponents in this category. Elena Sheridan saw off many older swimmers to take victory in both the 100 and 200 metres Butterfly events. The latter in a PB time of 2mins 23.15secs. She was the fastest 13 years old over both the 50 metres Butterfly and 200 metres IM, but on these occasions had to settle for 2nd and 4th places against older competitors. 13 years old Sean Houlihan was in the same boat in the boys 13/14 years category and having kicked off his weekend with a top ten place and a long course PB over 100 metres Butterfly, took on all comers in the Open 400 metres IM, finishing 4th in a time of 4mins 56.14secs. This time demolished his previous best by nearly 14 seconds. Houlihan then waded in with a win over 100 metres Breaststroke, before adding more PBs that brought him silver medals in both the 200 metres IM and 200 metres Breaststroke events. Both times he was beaten by an older opponent.

In the same joint age group 13 years old Harry Coker narrowly missed an NQT as he set a new PB time of 2mins 26.99 over 200 metres Butterfly, to finish fourth. There were two top ten finishes for 14 years old Alfie Burr, the best of which came in the 100 metres Butterfly with a PB of 1min06.14 and 13 years old Joseph Stamp had a top ten finish with a time of 2mis 28.04secs in the 200 metres Backstroke. 13 years old Joshua Rogers also had a good weekend, setting new PB times over 200 metres IM and 200 metres Freestyle.

Having missed out on the opportunity to secure an NQT over 200 metres Backstroke at this year's County Championships, 14 years old Harriette Davis did not leave it chance this time as she smashed the qualifying mark by three seconds to take a clear victory in the event with a time of 2mins 26.50secs. She added two 6th places with PB’s in both the 50 metres Breaststroke and Backstroke events. Training partner, 14 years old Rachel Welsh, was just ahead of her in the 50 metres Backstroke swim finishing just outside of the medals in 4th place. 13 years old Amy Beadwell-Lacey set PBs over 200 metres IM and 200 metres Butterfly, the latter in a time of 2mins 45.75secs to take 6th spot and Bethaney Hall had a strong 200 metres Breaststroke swim that brought her within two seconds of her NQT with a time of 2mins 52.52secs.

In the 12 years age group there was a medal for George Ellis as he finished 3rd in the 200 metres Backstroke with a time of 2mins 37.78secs. He went on to add three further top ten finishes in the 200 metres IM, 100 metres Backstroke and 200 metres Freestyle. William Harding's best result of the weekend gave him 8th in the 200 metres Backstroke with a PB time of 2mins 43.81secs. Also in the 12 years old category, Amy Gore was just outside of the medals on three occasions though she had the consolation of securing a long course NQT of 2mins 56.00secs over 200 metres Breaststroke. Brock Whiston had a mixed weekend of results with the pick of her three top ten finishes coming from a PB time of 1min 25.93secs over 100 metres Breaststroke.

16 years olds Jake Harrison and James Davis between them added four more medals to the growing Romford tally and both had the misfortune of missing NQTs by only 0.3secs. Harrison set a PB to take 3rd in the 100 metres Breaststroke, before also picking up bronze in the 50 metres event. He added PBs in both the 100 and 200 metres Freestyle before his time of 2mins 35.37secs brought silver over 200 metres Breaststroke, just shy of that NQT. Davis opened his programme of events with a PB and 3rd place over 400 metres IM. He followed these up with three more personal best ever swims over 200 metres Freestyle, 200 metres IM and the NQT that eluded him over 400 metres Freestyle. 16 years old Andrew Ward, whilst just outside of the top ten, also notched up a number of PBs, the pick of which came from the 50 metres Butterfly.

Of the 60 teams that took part, Romford finished 5th in the overall club standings behind Loughborough University, Barnet Copthall, Nova of Nottingham and Hillingdon's Borough Squad.

Well done everyone.