From
the
Advertiser, first published Wednesday 24th May 2006.
The 2006 Swansea
Open meet saw Swindon Dolphin swimmers return to their
camp with a catalogue of National Qualifying Times, club records and medals.
Collectively,
Dolphin were the highest placed English club in the medal rankings and third overall
behind winners
and Llanelli.
Dolphin’s
most successful swimmer was Tilly
Gray, who clocked four National Qualifying Times (NQTs)
to bring her tally for the season to seven.
The 14-year-old
kick-started Dolphin’s campaign with an NQT in the 50 metres freestyle in a personal
best time of 28.82 seconds before taking bronze in the final.
She went on
to claim the 400m freestyle NQT in a club record of 4:37.20.
Gray stepped
up to the 800m to finish 11 seconds inside the NQT.
In the 200m
freestyle she stepped up a gear to slice a further four seconds off her entry time
and set a new club record.
Mark
Tanner claimed
Dolphin’s fifth new NQT of the meet in the 100m freestyle. He timed his strike for
home with perfection to take the gold in a club record 54.82.
Cathal
Westman confirmed
his NQTs in the 100m and 200m breaststroke with significant improvements.
With a new
best time of 2:44.58 seconds over 200m, Westman was
favourite to take gold with a 19-second advantage over his closest challenger.
The 13-year-old
showed no signs of complacency in the final and sliced another three seconds off his
PB.
Westman went
on to make it a brace of golds in the 100m, before a fine performance in the final
of the 200m individual medley with silver medal and a personal best time.
Rosie
Wells,
who already has the short course NQT in the 100m backstroke, added the long course
time to her collection. She took the gold medal in a new best time of 1:10.49 seconds.
Melanie Agius
missed her NQT in the 400m freestyle despite a gallant effort.
Andrea
Alleyne came
within a whisker of adding the 100m freestyle NQT to her 50m time but did set a new
Dolphin record in 1:01.55 seconds.
Sam
Wells continues
to improve over both 100m and 200m butterfly but will go to the Sheffield Open in
the last chance saloon to gain entry on the national stage after just missing out
at
.
The Swim of
the Meet’ belonged to Jose
Prunty, who is blossoming into an accomplished freestyler
and brought the crowd to their feet with an outstanding display in the 200m to gain
gold in a new best time of 2:20.79 seconds.
The 12-year-old
was always in the reckoning over the three-day event and set personal best times in
five events together with two gold and a silver medal.
Tim
Berry also
took gold and a PB in the 200m individual medley and Nick
Southern smashed his best over 1500m and Dolphin completed
their campaign with a clean sweep in the boys’ 200m individual medley with Berry, Westman and Joel
Swann winning gold, silver and bronze respectively.
Dolphin
juniors made the final of the Southern Junior League after a convincing 30-point winning
margin in round two at Keynsham.
The boys’
under nine and under 11 teams maintained their 100 per cent record in freestyle and
medley relays, while at individual level, Katie
Carter, James
Clark, Charlotte
Gardo, Jack
Janicki and Niall
Westman racked up maximum points. The grand final will
take place on June 24.
From
the
Advertiser
http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk
© Newsquest Media Group 2006
