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Swimmer of Meet |
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| A great start to the 2008 County Championships. With Grantham pool being closed since Thursday it was a bit of a worry if it was going ahead at all. We started with the 800m Freestyle and there were some good swims with Reuben Reed winning the 11 years and Oliver Street coming second - its nice to have a 1,2 finish. Reuben hit all his splits as planned and finished in a time of 10.15.95, while Oliver attacked the race swimming a pb at the 200m and 400m splits and never looked like fading, finishing in a time of 10.52.93 - both great swims! Zak Lomas is more experienced at these events but you would never have guessed it the way he stormed down the first 50! He held on to his splits though and finished in 2nd place in the 14 years age group in a time of 9.15.79. Ben Pogson destroyed the field, looking high and comfortable in the water, hitting splits of 33 seconds per 50m and finishing as the 15 year old winner and County Champion. Rebecca Craven held her splits and gained a personal best time of 11.19.16. Kimberley Van Haren, who had not been well earlier in the week and also had trouble with her goggles, finished in a time of 10.54.20. Amelia Murfin had a good swim, attacking the race with a pb at 400m and finished in a time of 10.49.61. Jessica Murfin finished with a bronze medal in the 14yrs age group in a time of 10.07.81 - 2 tenths outside her best. Heather Guy had not been well in the week but attacked the race gaining a pb at the 400m split. She was not able to hold the splits properly due to illness but still won her first county medal when finishing in third place in the 15 years age group. The next day in the 1500m, Reuben Reed again won the 11 years age group with a controlled swim, hitting his splits and finishing under 20mins in a time of 19.50.11. If Oliver had qualified I'm sure he would have finished 2nd - so lets make sure we get there next year! Again Zak Lomas went too fast in the first 50m, but managed to hold the race together to finish in third place in a time of 17.40.72. Ben Pogson lapped everybody to become County Champion and was well pleased to beat Lewis Moses' time in the same age group, finishing in 16.38.94. Ben's next target is to attack Paul Palmers record. (Paul went to the Olympics at 400m and 1500m Freestyle.) Sam Wright struggled in both events but has had time out of training for exams. Rebecca Craven had a controlled swim and finished in a time of 21.42.01. Kimberley had a much better 1500m than 800m time finishing in 20.37.88 - both girls gained pb's. Although Laura Swain swam the 800m last year, she didn't qualify for the event this year, however she did qualify for the 1500m in which she swam just outside her best time. Jessica Murfin swam a
personal best time of 19.21.66, and took another Bronze medal in the 14
years age group. Well done, a great start and it's looking good for March! Ian |