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PSC 5th overall at Nationals
Preston Swimming Club took seven swimmers to the National Age Group and Youth Championships and came away with an amazing 9 medals. On top of this, the club came 5th place overall in the Age Group event behind the big squads of Plymouth Leander, City of Sheffield, Stockport Metro and Portsmouth Northsea.The highlight of the season’s swimming takes place at the Ponds Forge International Sports Centre in Sheffield where the cream of England’s swimmers embark upon five days of intense competition. The Age Group Championships are for boys aged 11 to 15 and girls 11 to 14 and with the Youth event for the older swimmers.Preston’s Head Coach, Dave Fairhurst, said “I am absolutely delighted with the performance these swimmers put in. We did really well last year, but to come away with 9 medals this year, three of them gold, is fantastic – it shows how the club is moving on. When you look at the squads we are competing against, it’s great credit to the club taking that 5th position, second only to Stockport in the North West. The result is just rewards to the swimmers and all the coaches at the club who have put in the hard work over the year. Also, we couldn’t do this without the support of the City Council, the staff at West View and Fulwood and our sponsors, Forbes Solicitors”. Top of the medal haul came from 11 year old Shauntelle Austin. Austin swam with typical grit and determination in a heavy schedule to return to Preston with two gold medals, three silvers and the overall top position in the age group – to make her the best 11 year old swimmer in the country. Gold came in her favoured butterfly events, the 100m in a time of 1.07.79 and the 200m in a time of 2.27.58, a massive 1.3 seconds ahead of the second place swimmer. Silver medals came in the 200m back, 200m Individual Medley (IM) and 400m IM. Austin made the final in every event she entered where she recorded 4th in the 100m backstroke and 400m free, with 5th in the 200m free. A smiling Shauntelle said “I really enjoyed the championships especially winning races when the standard is so high. It’s also good to meet the other swimmers and make new friends.” The other gold came from another Austin. This time 13 year Cameron Austin gave it everything to win the 200m butterfly in a fingertip finish in a time of 2.11.05. Austin also took two bronze medals in the 100m back and 100m butterfly with determined performances in the final having qualified in 4th and 6th place respectively in the heats. A 4th place in the 400m IM together with swims in the 200m IM, 400m freestyle, 200m freestyle and 200m backstroke provided the points to come 4th place overall in the age group. 12 year old Katie Mawdsley put in resolute performances in the gruelling distance freestyle events to take a bronze medal in the 800m event in a time of 9.35.43 and to come 5th in the 1500m in a time of 18.34.37. Mawdsley also narrowly missed out on a medal when she came 4th in the 400m freestyle and she also competed in the 100m and 200m events. Georgia Barton, 13 year old, came to Sheffield with a worthy 8 qualifying times, taking 6th position in the 200m butterfly and 400m IM and competing in the 200m IM,100m Free, 200m Free, 400m Free, 100m Butterfly and 100m Back. 14 year old Oliver Walker came 8th in the 200m breast as well as competing in the 100m event. In the Youths, 14 year old Jessica Chadwick knew she would be in for a tough time being at the younger end of the 14/15 year age group. Nevertheless, Chadwick made the final of the 200m breast where she came 10th, she made the semi-final of the 100m breast in which she came 11th overall and she swam in the 200m IM. 17 year old Dean Heaps, Preston’s boys’ club captain, also at the younger end of his 17/18 year age group, competed in the 200m breaststroke. Photo attached: National Championship Swimmers, l-r, Dean Heaps, Georgia Barton, Katie Mawdsley, Oliver Walker, Shauntelle Austin, Cameron Austin, Jessica Chadwick, Dave Fairhurst (Head Coach) Visit the Microleague Website: www.microleaguenw.org.uk |
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