Swimmers fly the flag at top event
Perth City Swim Club members have returned from a rewarding experience at the McCullagh International Meet.
The high-profile event, held at the Bangor Aurora complex in Ireland, welcomed a range of Olympians and Commonwealth Games stars.
And Fair City swimmers did themselves proud by picking up numerous medals, personal bests and Olympic trial qualifying times.
Representing the Perth club were Katherine Bailey, Ellie Turner, Fearne Crighton, Stephen Milne, Jack Muncey and Murray Pritchard.
“It was very good and we choose the event because it was following the format of the Olympic trials,” said swim club coach Ann Dickson.
“The heats were in the evening and the finals in the morning session, which is quite different.
“Usually swimmers go faster in the evening because their body is used to that time of day. So it was strange, but a good learning experience.
“We achieved what we were trying to do. Jack made a qualifying time for the 800m and Katherine got the 1500m and the 800m.
“Overall it was very positive and we had two younger swimmers, Murray and Fearne.
“They were swimming in the senior age groups and I think they will have learnt a lot.
“Murray, for example, was in the same events as Adam Peaty while Fearne was against Sarah Vasey, who is a top notch breaststroke swimmer.
“It’s really good to swim against these type of swimmers.”
Kilgraston student Katherine enjoyed a particularly impressive meet, winning 1500m freestyle silver and 800m bronze, both in very promising times.
And there was also a medal for new club member Ellie, who swam well to claim silver in the 200m backstroke with a time of 2:16.48.
“At the trials Katherine will be swimming in a junior age group, but this was in the open event,” added Dickson. “She had a big range of events.
“She probably would’ve picked up a medal in the 200 fly too, but we withdrew because it was the same session and close to the 1500m.
“Ellie came to us in January and she is in the same Scottish squad as Katherine and Jack.
“She had a good meet as well, managing to get a silver medal in the 200m backstroke on the last day. She has qualifying times for the trials.
“Ellie swam against Hannah Miley and Aimee Willmott. Aimee won the 400m IM at the Commonwealth Games.”
Perth Olympian Stephen Milne was in action and produced an impressive 200m freestyle swim to take the bronze medal.
“Stephen made the final of the 100m freestyle and got a bronze in the 200m freestyle, which was his fastest time of the year,” Dickson explained to the Perthshire Advertiser on Wednesday.
“That is moving him in the right direction now as we get towards the trials. He made the 400m freestyle final too and got the bronze.”
Swimmers are now preparing for a number of events over the coming weeks and months, leading up to April’s Olympic trials in London.
Dickson said: “The schedule now is that we have got the Edinburgh International Meet in the middle of March.
“For Ellie, Katherine and Jack, they have got the Scottish National Age Group Championships, a couple of weeks before the trials.”