Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Centre brings out the best
SWIMMING: CANTERBURY AND FAVERSHAM YOUNGSTERS EXCEL AT COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIPS STAGED AT CRYSTAL PALACE
City of Canterbury SC swimmers recorded several personal best performances at the Kent County Swimming Championships.
More than a dozen Canterbury swimmers aged 10-18 took part in the championships – held over four weekends at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre and the Olympic Park Aquatic Centre – after posting qualifying times over the previous six months.
Jessica Sugden, 10, qualified to compete in four events and swam three PB times – in the 50m freestyle, butterfly and backstroke taking more than a second off her previous bests.
She also qualified from the heats to swim in two finals, achieving fifth places in both the 50m freestyle and 50m butterfly, securing herself two finalists medals.
George Casey, 17, also had a successful championships, qualifying to compete in seven events, comprising backstroke, butterfly and freestyle.
Casey achieved an impressive six PBS and secured a place in the finals of the 50m backstroke for boys aged 16-plus and the men’s open event.
He achieved fifth place in both events out of some 150 competitors and also won two finalist medals.
Other notable achievements were 17-year-old Toby Lister, who was a reserve finalist for the 50m backstroke for boys aged 16-plus.
Both Toby and his 15-year-old brother, Angus, achieved PBS in their 50m butterfly events.
Owain Collins, 10, in his first Kent Championships and his first time swimming in a 50m pool, achieved two PBS, taking four seconds off his 100m butterfly time and one second from his 50m breaststroke time.
Samuel Jack, 12, achieved a PB in both the 50m freestyle and backstroke, while George Coles got a PB in the 100m freestyle.
Faversham SC swimmers also held their heads high at the championships.
Nathan Williams, 14, qualified for three separate finals and battled hard to finish in fifth place in 50m butterfly, achieving a South East Regional Time (RT) and PB of 30.43.
He also finished seventh in the 100m butterfly (1.11.59 PB) gaining a Regional Consideration Time (RCT) and also finishing in seventh place in the 50m breaststroke (36.66 RT/PB).
Max Fordyce also qualifed for several finals and achieved a fifth place in the 12-years 100m breaststroke (1.28.98 RT/PB), sixth in the 200m breaststroke (3.13.65 RT) and eighth place in the 50m breaststroke final (41.41 RT).
Olivia Hawkins’ strong swim in her heats gained her a place in the 16-plus 50m backstroke final where she secured seventh place in a time of 32.76.
Other Faversham swimmers competing were Amy Coupe, Bella Holt, Emily Holt and Eva Mcintyre, with both Amy and Bella finishing in the top 12.