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MERCHAN IS COUNTY CHAMPION!

Round two of the 2008 County Championships was held at Blackshots in Grays last weekend where Killerwhales were able to send a large squad of swimmers who had achieved the qualifying times to compete against the best in Essex.

Top performer was again 15 year old Katinka Merchan who won the 100 backstroke age group County Title with a superb swim in the final to clinch gold and break her own personal best. Katinka also showed all round talent by picking up a 5^th in the 400m individual medley and 6^th in the 200 ‘fly.

14 year old Lewis Clifford-Stephenson put in a powerful swim in the 100 medley to take silver and later in the weekend swam an extraordinary breaststroke leg in the 400 medley to catch and pass his rivals in that heat and eventually finish 5^th in the age group.

Molly Sparks at 11 years continued her excellent run of form to take bronze in the 200 medley and finished her weekend with a determined 100 metre ‘fly swim to see her make the final where she took a creditable 4^th place. In the same age group Danielle Rooke took on the tough 800 freestyle event finishing with a very well earned 6^th place whilst 10 year old Connor Kearns was rewarded with a 5^th spot in the  200 breaststroke. He later added a 15 second personal best in the freestyle to complete a good weekend.

Killerwhales 16+ age group boys had top six placings across the range of events with Dean Smith finishing 4^th in the 100 medley and 6^th in the 400 version and 5^th in the 200 backstroke, whilst in the Open age group  800 metre freestyle event Jon Congdon and Tom Bircham finished 4^th and 5^th respectively, the latter with a new personal best.

In the same age group Laura Andrews showed she can swim distance as well as sprint finishing 5^th in both the 100 and 800 metre freestyle events whilst team-mate Kalei Andrews held on after a fast start in the 200 ‘fly to end in 6^th spot.

Overall the 22 Killerwhales swimmers, all aged between 10 and 21, achieved a top six place on no less than 17 occasions showing strength in depth throughout the Club.