SEVEN of Leek ASC’s top swimmers travelled to Sheffield to compete in Derventio’s February Festival at Pond’s Forge last weekend.
The meet featured many of the Great Britain 2012 Olympic team as well as many other GB Junior and Senior Internationals so there was plenty of opportunity to see the best in action.
The youngest member of the team, Molly Findler aged 11, swam a personal best time in all of her events, narrowly missing out on her first national qualifying time (NQT) in the 200m breaststroke.
She touched first in the 100m breaststroke and took away silver medals in the 200m breaststroke and 200m individual medley (IM). Findler knocked an incredible 19.48 seconds off her 400m IM personal best (PB).
Rachel Rhead, aged 12, swimming with a broken finger did an amazing job despite her injury. She improved the majority of her times, knocking off 30.01 seconds from her 100m freestyle PB.
Emily Osborne, aged 13, was up against it as she was competing in a double age group of 13 to 14- year-olds. She didn’t disappoint and swam best times in all of her events, improving her 400 IM by 6.76 seconds.
Jessica Dow, aged 14, showed her return to form and bagged her first two NQTs for the season in the 100m and 200m butterfly making the final in each race.
She picked up silver in the 200m butterfly and bronze in the 100m butterfly for her efforts. She also took silver in the 200 IM in the final and swam a PB in the 200m freestyle.
Bryony Woolley, aged 15, showed determination and made the final of the 200m butterfly despite participating in the 15/16 double age group. She swam a deserving pb in the 400m freestyle event.
Joe McGourlay, aged 12, achieved PBs in all four of his events. He improved his 400m freestyle time by 13.68 seconds and 11.76 seconds in the 200m butterfly.
Joe Hulme, aged 15, targeted four events in the 15/16 year age group. He improved his PBs and made the final in all four races.
Hulme had the privilege of competing alongside two Olympic athletes in the heats; Roberto Pavoni in the 100m backstroke and Joe Roebuck in the 200m butterfly. Hulme picked up two new NQTs in the 100m backstroke and 200m freestyle. He took home silver medals in both the 200m butterfly and the 100m backstroke.
