GALA REPORT
gala: City of Oxford Licensed Open Meet 2004
venue: Cowley Pool, Oxford
date
: 4th/5th December 2004
report by: Stormin' Norman Dawkins

Go Back

 


FABULOUS FORBES
Kirsty Makes Five Golds at City of Oxford Licensed Meet

The Killerwhales sent a strong team to the City of Oxford’s Licence Open Meet last weekend, with Kirsty Forbes the star of the meet with five gold’s amongst her 11 medals out of 11 races.

Kirsty showed that not only is she a very classy swimmer, but that she has the guts and determination to compete in a multitude of events and distances in one weekend.

The one outstanding race was in the 50 Skins, where Kirsty was ranked 14th fastest but made the final as 4th fastest. With three swimmers removed after the first round and then one after that in each round this was a race to watch. Kirsty swam a PB in the first round to qualify and then went from strength to strength. In the final race off and cheered by all her team mates Kirsty went on to swim another PB to take Gold and a cash prize. Kirsty carried on improving as the weekend went on, in the 200 fly, ranked 8th Kirsty went on to win, amazing her team mates and family with an outstanding gutsy swim.

With Gold in the 100 I/M, 200 I/M and 200 free these distance events were no problem  with silver in the 50 back and medals in the 100 free and 200 Breast it was a joy to watch such a talented and swimmer.

Stephen Dawkins in the 17/18 age group nearly matched Kirsty’s gold medal haul with four. In the 200 Back, Breast, I/M and 100 Back Stephen keeps on proving that you do not have to be a winner in your early years, to reap the rewards later on in your career. Stephen looked a different class in the 200 Breast and Back and these strengths brought Stephen through in the 200I/M. With silver in the 100 I/M and medals in the 100 free and 100 Breast this was another great show the Whales.

Daniel Hime in the 15/16 age group is following the example set by Stephen, by getting on with the training and then reaping the rewards. Daniel is just going from strength to strength with his 200 fly just an amazing race to watch. Ranked 8th fastest Daniel went off like a bomb, we were all waiting for Daniel to fade, as we all thought he had gone off too fast, but Daniel just kept going, pulling away from the opposition with a win by 15 metres.

Daniel made it a hat-trick of medals in Gold, Silver and two Bronze, not bad 9 out of 9. With gold in the 100 Breast, I/M and Fly , silver in the 50 Fly, 200 Free and I/M and then bronze in the 50 Breast, 100 Fly this was a great weekend for this ever improving young man.

Christina Leader in the 15/16 age group took double gold in the 100 and 200 Breast, no surprises there as Christina looked comfortable all the way. Christina then went on to take silver in the 50 Breast, 100 and 200 I/M proving what an all rounder Christina is becoming. In the same age group Laura Andrews showed she is getting back to top form with a bronze in the 100 fly, Laura looked comfortable all the way to record her first pb in this event for two years. With a bronze also in the 200 and 50 fly, Laura is getting back to the classy lady she is. Also in this age group the  Whales showed what strength in depth they have in Breaststroke with Janine Rayner taking 3rd in the 50 and 6th in the 100 and Alice Scott taking 6th in the 50 also.

Breaststroke seems to be the number one in the Whales at this moment as Jodie Momodu took gold in the 200 Breast with an amazing 13 second personal best. Jodie could hardly get out of the water after the effort put in, but is was a truly amazing swim for a ten year old with a time of three minutes thirteen seconds. With gold in the 50 as well and team mate Molly Scott making the medal rostrum as well it could be a good year for the Whales in 2005.

In the 13/14 age group Henny Andrews is another Breaststroke swimmer going great guns, with bronze in the 50 and 100 and a 6th in the 100 I/M. Henny just keeps amazing everyone on the continued improvement, it’s great to see and watch Henny race.

David Haynes in the 15/16 age group is now starting to get the strength to race against the “big” men, with very impressive silver in the very demanding 200 Fly, well done David.

In the 17/18 women’s age group Katie Hegman and Julia Braybrooke showed their younger team mates that the Whales can still compete at the older age group. Julia  made two bronze places in the 100 and 200 Breast and picked up medals in three other events to show that you do improve as you get older. Katie  took silver in the 100 fly and 200 I/M, battling all the way and then went on to make the medal podium in the 50 and 200 fly, good to see girls.

It was a great weekend of swimming to end 2004 and it will only get better in 2005, carry on the Whales and a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all swimmers in Havering.
 



above: Katie Miles (Lane One) sets off on her way to a
new best time in 50m freestyle

 

 

opposite: Kirsty Forbes collects her cash prize for winning the 14& under50m skins final

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

opposite: At the end of a hard weekends swimming some of the squad start to unwind on poolside.
top row: Kirsty Forbes, Laura Andrews, Dan Hime, Ben Clifford-Stephenson.
bottom row: Toby Davis, Lewis Clifford-Stephenson, Henny Andrews

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

opposite: Jodie Momodu clutches her gold trophy for winning the 200m breaststroke

Contact the killerwhales