RTSC Gala Reports

Sunday 8th November 2009 - RTSC Licensed Level 3 Meet - Southbury Leisure Centre

For the second year running Romford Town held its annual age group meet outside of the borough at Enfield's well-equipped Southbury Leisure Centre.

Scheduled in November, this annual fixture is an ideal opportunity for swimmers trying to gain County-qualifying times, whilst also being a 'licensed 3' graded meet gives the opportunity for those less experienced to compete. The programme of events and date attracted some strong teams notably the borough squads of Hillingdon and Redbridge that provided some healthy competition and good performances throughout the day.

With the youngest nine-year age group on show it was for some their first age group meet and the Town swimmers were not to be disappointed. A trio of nine year olds Harry Taylor, Liam Fearon and David Brooks made it a 'one, two, three' in the boys 200 metres Backstroke with Harry Taylor 1st, Liam Fearon 2nd and David Brooks 3rd.In the next event for the boys, the 200 metres Freestyle, Liam took top spot whilst David was 2nd. Harry Taylor took another gold medal in the 100 metres Individual Medley and followed up with another 1st place in the longer 200 Metres Individual Medley event with David Brooks 2nd.

In the 50 metres Freestyle the trio had to settle for 4th, 5th & 6th places with Liam Fearon grabbing 4th, followed by Harry then David.In the 50 metres Backstroke a fourth Town nine-year-old boy Jacob Smith took the honours with a super 1st place with Liam Fearon 3rd and David Brooks 6th.The 200 metres Breastroke saw the nine year olds on the podium again as David Brooks was 2nd and Liam Fearon 3rd, whilst Harry Taylor having been disqualified in the 200 metres Breastroke overcome this disappointment in winning his fourth gold of the day at the shorter 50 metre event with Liam 2nd and David Brookes 3rd.There was yet more success for the nine-year-old boys as David Brooks gained 2nd in the 50 metres butterfly with debutant Billy Wilson 3rd.

Representing Romford in the girl’s nine years age group, Chloe Thompson started her day off with silver in the 200 metres Individual Medley, whilst Daisy Nolan-Day took 3rd place in the 50 metres Freestyle with Georgia Milton in her first competition gaining a good 6th place.In the 50 metres Backstroke Daisy went one better as she took 2nd spot and was 3rd in the 200 metres Backstroke with Chloe Thompson taking 2nd. The 200 metres Freestyle saw Daisy in the top three again as she took 3rd spot, whilst Georgia Milton swam well again to secure 4th place.

Chloe Thompson picked up another silver medal in the 200 metres Breastroke with Daisy Nolan-Day grabbing a further bronze. In the shorter 50 metres Breastroke Daisy had to settle for 5th place with Georgia Milton in amongst the medals again in 6th position. Chloe Thompson managed a good 3rd place in the 50 metres Butterfly, as Daisy was 4th.

The 10 year olds for Town made a good showing too, none more so than Hannah Binning. Having swum a very good 200 metres Breastroke to gain 2nd place she went one better in the 50 metres Breastroke to clinch 1st spot. A good 50 metres Butterfly saw her gain 3rd place to ensure she went home with a medal of each colour. Hannah was also 3rd in the 50 metres Freestyle.

The boy’s ten year olds were also in good form and continuing Hannah’s success in the Breastroke events, Aidan Jackson took 1st place in the 50 metres Breastroke with teammates Sam Ellis 5th and Mitchell Wilson 6th. In the longer 200 metres Breastroke Sam Ellis was 2nd with Aidan 4th and Mitchell Wilson 6th.

In the 50 metres Butterfly, Mitchell Wilson swam well to achieve 1st place with Zachary Coleman picking up 6th place. The 200 metres Individual Medley saw Zac amongst the medals again as he was 4th, Mitchell Wilson 3rd and Sam Ellis gaining another silver medal as he came 2nd. The roles were reversed in the shorter 100 metres Medley event with Zac securing 2nd place and Sam 4th.

Sam Ellis was rewarded for his efforts with a further silver medal in the 200 metres Freestyle as Aidan Jackson was 3rd and Zac Coleman 4th. Zac was also 4th in the 50 metres Freestyle in which Mitchell Wilson gained 5th place. Further medals were won in the ten years 50 metres Backstroke as Sam Ellis was 4th and Zac 5th.

Sharing the honours in the 11 years girls age group with a hatrick of gold medal performances each were Sophie Ward and Jodi Whitehead. Sophie Ward came away with three gold medals as she won both her favoured 100 & 200 metres Butterfly events and the 100 metres Individual Medley. Jodi Whitehead did equally as well in winning her favourite 100 and 200 metres Breastroke whilst also winning the 50 metres Backstroke. Sophie was 5th in the 100 metres Breastroke, whilst Jodie Whitehead was 5th in the 50 metres Freestyle. Jodie was 2nd in the 100 metres Medley and 2nd in the 100 metres Backstroke with Sophie in 3rd place. Sophie was also 3rd in the 100 metres Freestyle and 5th in the 100 metres Breastroke.

The eleven-year-old boys were well represented by Connor Houlihan. Maintaining Town’s success in the Breastroke events he came 1st in the 50 metres Breastroke and 2nd in the 200 metres event in which Jonathan Toolis was 5th and Oliver Coles 6th. Connor was also 2nd in the 200 metres Backstroke in which Sam Coker was 6th. In the 100 metres Medley Connor Houlihan was 2nd again and Sam Coker was 5th. In the longer 200 metres Individual Medley Connor gained another silver medal as Oliver Coles gained 6th spot. Oliver also did well to gain 5th place in the 200 metres Butterfly the same position Connor finished in the 50 metres Backstroke.

Competing in the girls 12 years age group, Rosie Webber gained two good 1st place finishes winning both the 100 metres Butterfly and Backstroke events. She was also in amongst the medals as she gained 2nd place in the 50 metres Butterfly and was 4th in the 200 metres Individual Medley. In the 200 metres Freestyle Brock Whiston was 2nd as Rosie Webber was 4th. Brock was 3rd in the 50 metres Freestyle with Rosie in 6th place and Brock gained another medal in the 100 metres Freestyle as she gained 4th place. Laura Brooks was also picking up medals in the girls 12 years category gaining 6th spot just behind Rosie Webber in the 50 metres Backstroke. Laura was 5th in the 100 and 200 metres Backstroke, 100 metres Medley and 50 metres Breastroke.

Samuel Hollington had a very busy schedule of events throughout the day but secured a 4th place in the 12 years 200 metres Backstroke. Luke Sheridan back in the water after a lengthy time off did well to gain 5th place in the 12 years 200 metres Freestyle and 6th in the 50 metres Butterfly. In the 12 years 100 metres Butterfly Sam Bishop swam well to take 2nd spot and followed this up with a 5th spot in the 200 metres Breastroke and 3rd place in the 50 metres Breastroke. Sam also swam a good race to secure 2nd place in the 100 metres Freestyle and rounded the day off with a further silver medal in the 50 metres Butterfly.

Emma Aston and Charlotte Chuck picked up medals in the girls 13 years category with Charlotte taking 4th spot and Emma 5th in the 100 metres Breastroke. Sophie Thompson was 4th in the 50 metres Freestyle and Butterfly events with Charlotte and Anne-Marie Smith coming 5th and 6th respectively in the 50 metres Backstroke. Anne-Marie was 4th in the 50 metres Breastroke whilst Charlotte Chuck picked up another good top 6th place in gaining 5th in the 200 metres Breastroke. Courtney Wilson was 5th in the 13 years 200 metres Freestyle.

For the 13 year old boys Oliver Applebee gained 5th in the 200 metres Backstroke and 6th in the 100 metres Backstroke meanwhile James Kidd picked up 3rd place in the 200 metres Freestyle. James was also 3rd in the 200 metres Medley and 2nd in the 200 metres Butterfly. He too made it a medal of each colour as he secured a gold in the 100 metres Butterfly and was 4th in the shorter 50 metres event.

In the girls 14 years category Shara Islam came away with a gold medal as she won the 50 metres Breastroke and was 3rd in the 100 metres Breastroke and Backstroke. Hannah Coles was 3rd in the 100 and 200 metres Butterfly and Freestyle events. Hannah was also 2nd in the 200 metres Backstroke. Jodie Ward was 5th in the 200 and 100 metres Medley and 3rd in the 50 metres Freestyle in which Shara finished in 5th spot having come 2nd in the 50 metres Backstroke.

For the 14 year old boys the fast improving Thomas Benson swam well to gain 2nd place in the 100 metres Freestyle followed by Conor Toolis in 4th and Alex Goodacre 5th. Conor gained 2nd in the 200 metres Freestyle. In the 100 metres Backstroke Alex Goodacre gained 3rd whilst Thomas Benson was 4th and Conor Toolis 6th. Alex also picked up a bronze in the 100 metres Medley, as Thomas was 4th and Conor 5th. Conor gained another 2nd place finish in the 200 metres Medley whilst having to settle for 3rd just behind Alex Goodacre in the 100 metres Butterfly who was 2nd.

Vanessa Sutton picked up some good medals in the girls 15 years age group, notably coming 1st in the 200 metres Freestyle and 3rd in the 100 metres Freestyle.

Michael Fearon enjoyed some success in the boys 15 years category winning the 200 metres Breastroke and coming 2nd in the 100 metres Breastroke and 3rd in the 100 metres Medley

In the 16 years and over category Laurence Goodacre won the 100 and 200 metres Backstroke. Also competing in this age group, David Ward was 4th in the 100 metres Medley and 50 metres Breastroke but saved his best for last with a win in the 50 metres Butterfly.

Well done to all those that competed.