Star Dan is simply the breast-stroke with a triple haul of gold medals
WEEKEND One of the Regional Championships saw Halton’s more experienced swimmers taking part in this very competitive meet. Having set the times to qualify over the past few months, it was time to see how they could perform against the region’s best swimmers – and they did not disappoint.
Leading the way with a magnificent display of swimming was 14-year-old Daniel Buckley.
Daniel competed in the 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke and the 50m freestyle.
He claimed first place in each of the breaststroke events, picking up the gold medals and clocking three new personal best times.
Daniel finished in a time of 32.28 in the 50m, 1:09.93 in the 100m and 2:32.31 in the 200m breaststroke.
Each new PB was produced in each of the three finals. Daniel also finished in the top 15 in the 50m freestyle in a new personal best of 27.30.
Twenty-one-year-old Luke Nisted had a great weekend in which he competed in the 50m and 100m freestyle and the 50m backstroke.
Luke touched the wall first winning the gold medal in the 50m backstroke in a time of 31.76, just on his current personal best time.
He also collected two silver medals in the 50m and 100m freestyle events finishing in times of 26.65 (a new personal best) and 58.28 respectively.
Sixteen-year-old Ellie-Jo Hughes took part in the 50m and 100m freestyle and the 50m butterfly and finished just on her personal best times for all three events.
Maintaining her recent marks, she came home in the 50m freestyle in a time of 29.67, the 100m freestyle in 1:04.42 and the 50m butterfly in 31.96.
Nineteen-year-old Tom Roberts competed in the 400m individual medley, 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle and the 200m butterfly.
Tom produced a new personal best time in the 100m freestyle coming home in 57.61.
He also finished in the top 10 in the 400m IM in a time of 5:09.73 and the 400m freestyle in 4:20.46
Seventeen-year-old Eleanor Donald swam in the 50m and 100m freestyle and finished in times of 29.43 and 1:04.81 respectively.
Fifteen-year-old Leevi Gumbs finished in the top 10 of the 400m freestyle, clocking 4:34.07.
The forthcoming two weekends sees the younger swimmers take centre stage and against the best the North West has to offer. ●