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KILLERWHALES SENIORS SHOW THE WAY.
 

Killerwhales senior swimmers led the way in the last round of the Essex Championships last weekend at Blackshots in Grays.  In the 16 years and over age group Kirsty Forbes won the 200 metres backstroke just holding off a strong challenge from her rival from Basildon to claim Gold and the County Championship. Kirsty added two silver medals to her collection in the 100 & 400 metre freestyle events and completed a full set of medals by taking bronze in the 100 metre butterfly.

Dan Hime, also competing in the 16 years + age group took two hard earned 4^th places in both the 400 freestyle event and the 100IM where he achieving a personal best time in the heats and then bettered it in the final.

14 year old Dean Smith continued his remarkable run of form taking a silver on the 200IM and a brace of bronze medals in the 100 and 200 metre fly events. Another 14 year old Lauren Rouffe was a  medal winner taking bronze with a fine swim in the gruelling 400 metre IM. Lauren was one place down the order with a 4^th in the 200IM. Killerwhales showed their strength in depth at this age group with Ellen Scott, Robyn Beadel, Katie Miles and Kalei Andrews all recording London Championship qualifying times in both IM swims. Katinka Merchan, one year younger, repeated the feat.

Sisters Laura and Henny Andrews, competing in the 16+ and 15 year age groups recorded top six swims with Henny finishing 4^th in the 100IM and 6^th in the 200 Breast. Laura found a strong finish in the 400 free to take 6^th overall.

The ‘Whales younger swimmers were also on song with last years breaststroke National finalists Lewis Cliffford-Stephenson and Jodie Momodu claiming podium positions. 11 year old Jodie’s top swim was a bronze in the 100m fly and she outperformed her anxious mum’s expectations to grab 4^th place in the 200 fly with a massive 25 second personal best. Lewis meanwhile, swimming in the 12 year age group took a fine silver in the 100 metre fly and despite leading early on was just beaten at the finish of the 100 freestyle, but still claiming the bronze medal position.

Other swimmers catching the eye were Dan Bleach with a barnstorming 100 m butterfly smashing his own personal best. In the 400 IM that followed Dan also took a strong lead in the butterfly leg and held on well to finish in a new personal best well within the London Championship qualifying time. 15 year old Tom Bircham continued to show how far he has come bettering his previous best by some 7 seconds and Johnny Congdon competing in the 14 year age group found an extra 5 seconds in his favoured 200 fly.

This was another highly successful weekend of Essex County Championship action for the ‘Whales who head off to Crystal Palace next weekend.