ASA NORTH EAST REGION BAGCAT CHAMPIONSHIPS

JOHN CHARLES CENTRE FOR SPORT, LEEDS -  20/21ST JUNE 2009

With the time fast approaching for National Age and Youth Championships City’s swimmers competed in Leeds on what was the final weekend for qualification times. In the individual events they had to be content with a slew of personal best times and just a couple of medals.

Thirteen year old Niki Chatburn was the highest ranked of City’s swimmers with a silver medal in the gruelling 1500m freestyle race. She also placed sixth in the shorter 400m event.

Also swimming as a thirteen year old Lydia Biddiscome placed third in the 200m backstroke to claim city’s only other medal and had a best time in the 100m freestyle.

Fifth place finishes went to Sam O’ Donohoe in the fourteen years 100m freestyle and 200m backstroke. He also placed seventh and eight in the 200m individual medley and 400m freestyle respectively.

The girls 11-13 years 4 x 100m medley team of Lydia Biddiscombe, Niki Chatburn, Lauren Sharp and Jessica finished in fifth place finish in a time of 4.55.27. However good news came their way when they had confirmation that they had been accepted for National Age Group Championships in the 4 x 200m freestyle event. This brings city’s total of national qualifiers to nine, the highest for some years which has delighted Head Coach Andy Pearce who coaches the swimmers with Leisure Services Coaching and Training Scheme.

Other top ten finishes went to Hannah Beaumont in the 200m backstroke, 100m and 400m freestyle, Jessica Foulds, 100m freestyle, Lauren Sharp, 200m backstroke, Josh Zenner, 200m backstroke, 100m freestyle, 200m individual medley and 100m butterfly and James Dawson, 200m individual medley and 200m breaststroke.

Best times were also achieved by Ellie Talbot, Isabel Stirk and Megan Lee.

Christine McCabe, Secretary City of Bradford Swimming Club

ASANER BAGCAT Championships 2009 - June 6th/7th 2009 - Ponds Forge Sheffield

PB – Long course PB – 13 PBs From 21 swims (not including splits from teams)

2 National qualifying times – 1 new

A fantastic set of results with some outstanding PBs. Most of our swimmers took huge chunks off their previous best times.

Many congratulations go to James Dawson on achieving his first ever National QT on 400 IM and also to Lydia, Jessica, Lauren and Niki on their qualification for the Nationals on the 4x200 free relay. Again, this will be all four girls first Nationals. Now the hard work really begins for our National swimmers, to ensure they finish as high as they possibly can in this summers Championships.

Andy Pearce, Senior Coach

ASANER BAGCAT Championships 2009 - June 20th/21st 2009 - John Charles Centre for Sport, Leeds

PB – Long course PB – 22 PBs from 34 swims (not including splits from team)

1 National qualifying time

2 Medals – 1 silver, 1 bronze

Once again, our Age Groupers delivered the goods under very difficult circumstances swimming most events far too late at night due to the postponement of the second weekend at Sheffield due to flooding. In some cases a handful of our swimmers competed after 9PM and this made swimming anywhere near PBs extremely difficult to say the least. Not content with this problem, all swum near to their PBs and in some cases much faster than their best times and huge credit has to be given to these swimmers for their excellent attitude towards a difficult and unusual situation.

Congratulations to Niki on gaining a silver on 1500 free and to Lydia for winning bronze on 200 Back, her first ever NER medal.

Andy Pearce, Senior Coach.