The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
It’s a shining Knight for COPS as Liam reaches four big finals
There were some outstanding performances by City of Peterborough Swimming Club ( COPS) members at the big British Gas International Meet in Leeds. Paralympic medallist Harriet Lee continued her excellent build- up towards the World Championship trials in April by winning a gold medal a week after smashing a British record.
Lee, who swims in the S9 disability category, won the Womens Multi- Class 100m breaststroke final in a time of 1: 20.32.
Liam Knight ( 18) also figured prominently for COPS, roaring into three backstroke and a butterfly final during the four- day meet.
He finished fourth in the Men’s Open 50m backstroke, fifth in the 100m backstroke, sixth in the 200m discipline and seventh in the 50m fly, and clocked personal best( PB) times in two of them.
He is now ranked number one in the 100m backstroke in his age group in the UKand number two over 200m and is now in contention for support from the World Class Talent scheme.
COPS head coach Ben Negus said: “Liam was racing against Olympians in each of his finals and held his own. He is in training for Rio and now showing a world class talent when he competes which is hugely exciting for the city.”
Zara Bailey( 17), who swims for Jamaica, was using the meet as preparation for the Carifta ( Caribbean Islands) Games in 3 weeks’ time, andjust missed out on the senior 200m individual medley final by 0.4 seconds.
Chloe Hannam ( 16) also clocked a PB in the same event and was just two seconds offa final spot in the 200m backstroke.
Katie Brown ( 13) knocked two seconds off her 200m freestyle best to move to third in the UK rankings in her age group , and Rachel Wellings ( 13) shot to the top of the 50m backstroke rankings after a huge PB.
Gareth Orr ( 18) made two finals and Jaxon Simmons( 12) clocked PBs in all three events he tackled. Orr and Simmons are disability swimmers.
Meanwhile, Josh Aylett of COPS blew the field away for a storming win at the County Distance ( 800m & 1500m) Championships in Corby and Aisling Ruff was narrowly pipped at the finish with less than a second between her and the winner.
In the second stage of the County Championships at the Regional Pool, Charlotte McRae pipped younger sister Emily to the honours in the 200m individual medley Skins event and they will be joined in the final on Sunday in Cambridge by COPS clubmates Molly Norman, Heather Pfeiffier, Taylor Goodby and Aisling Ruff.
COPS dominated the boys events, especially the 400m freestyle where they won six of the eight age groups through Isaac Addison ( 10), Harvey Norman ( 11), Jamie Scholes ( 13), Joshua Aylett ( 15), Sam Holmes ( 16) and Kyle Ainge ( 17).