Fifth double gold for Mary Erskine girls
The pressure mounts every year, but Mary Erskine girls did it again by claiming an Open double at Brodies Scottish Schools Relay Championships at the Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh.
Abby Orr, Katy Smith, Niamh Ritchie and Hannah Ewings were defending a perfect record having won both titles for Mary Erskine in Senior one, two, three and four.
This year, Katie Goodburn joined the Open squad – and it was double gold number five.
Katie, a talented second-year pupil, joined her Warrender clubmates Niamh, Katy and Hannah to win the medley – and then Abby replaced Hannah in the freestyle.
The original four are all in fifth year – and they intend returning next year to complete the super six.
Not that it was easy this year. In the freestyle relay, Mary Erskine won by just 0.43 secs from Aberdeen Grammar School.
Stewart’s Melville College achieved a terrific feat of winning both Senior 3/4 and Open titles. The squad comprised Archie Good burn( Katie’ s older brother ), jamie macdonald, Ian Rose, Sonny Kennedy and Audai Hassouma.
George Watson’s College Senior 1/2 boys – Josh Aspinall, Jamie Littlefield, Daniel Saunders and Finlay Stott – also completed a double as did Woodmill girls – Morven Lister, emma russell, rebecca Braid and Ellie Turner.
The same schools won both titles last year when it was just for Senior one.
In the Primary (12 and under category), the High School of Glasgow came up trumps by winning both boys events. The quartet comprised David Mccallum, Jamie Ritchie, Fergus Currie and Milo Harris. The overall trophy was shared by two Edinburgh rivals, Erskine/stewart’s Melville and George Watson’s College. Stewart’s Melville also won the boys’ trophy with the everconsistent Banchory Academy taking the girls’ title.