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SWIMMING

All the up-to-date news from Boston Swimming Club

June 2006

Round-up for June 10

Teams tackle Fenland League double bill

There was a double bill of Fenland League action for teams representing Boston Swimming Club. The A squad travelled to Downham for their gala and battled hard before finishing second to Grantham. On the same night, the club’s B squad were at Cambridge where they came fourth in a five-team contest.

The A team’s bid for success was somewhat hampered by a slow start to proceedings with the first five races yielding just 14 points — leaving the squad in joint third position. But then fortunes took an upturn with successive wins for Jordan Butler (boys 10 years-and-under 50m breaststroke), Abigail Teague (girls 10u 50m breaststroke) and Jack Featherstone (boys 11u 50m butterfly).

That burst of rewards helped to lift the team back into serious contention — however Grantham kept up a powerful points-scoring ratio to hold a 14-point lead after 16 races. Boston kept plugging away and closed the gap slightly with heat wins for Elvijs Roberts and Amelia Murfin (both 12u 50m backstroke) plus a victory for Joshua Teague (boys 13u 50m butterfly) to cut the deficit to eight points.

Later on came further successes for Henry Careless and Amelia Murfin (12u 50m breaststroke events).

But all the time Grantham were still slightly outscoring the Boston contingent sufficiently strongly to finish on a 151 points tally compared to Boston’s 129 which in turn was well ahead of Saxons in third place. In the later stages of the meet, Boston had further heat wins for Paige Royce (girls 11u 50m breaststroke), Amelia Murfin (completing her hat-trick, girls 12u 50m butterfly) and Stephanie Goodale (girls 13u 100m individual medley).

Personal best times were recorded by a clutch of swimmers: Molly Wright, Henry Careless (2), Stephanie Goodale (2), Jordan Butler (2), Jack Featherstone, Elvijs Roberts, Amelia Murfin (2), Abigail Teague, Michael Craven and Joshua Teague.

Final points: Grantham 151, Boston A 129, Saxons 111, Deepings 96, Downham 95.

Over at Cambridge, the Boston B team performed creditably against some testing opposition and recorded some useful points returns in several races with a clutch of hard-won second and third places. But the highlight was a heat win for Suasannah Yielding in the girls 11u 50m breaststroke.

There were numerous personal best times established by the Boston youngesters. These went to: Grace Pike (2), Ben Samra (2), Sofia Parla, Katy McDonnell-Woods, Harriet Housam, Dominic Samra, Megan Coleman, Kieran Edmonds, Susannah Yielding, Scott Richmond (2), Emma Penniston and Holly Spinks.

Final points: Cambridge 157, Peterborough 148, King’s Lynn 112, Boston B 81, Chatteris 79.

On Saturday June 17, Boston sent a young and largely inexperienced squad to compete in a friendly novices-orientated gala at Peterborough. Against a strong standard of opposition, Boston came fifth on 95 points. Their only heat winner was Jemma Tointon in the girls’ 13/14 years 50m breaststroke.

Round-up for June 3 and 10

Championship success and pride for youngsters

There was a plentiful supply of success for Boston Swimming Club youngsters at the Midlands Age group Championships. The 50m pool in Coventry hosted the event in which the Boston swimmers, under the guidance of coach Ian Wells, enabled the club to savour its best results at the competition.

Ben Pogson, in his final year in the junior ranks before moving up to the youth championship, enjoyed two notable victories. In the boys 14 years age group, he won the 100m and 200m backstroke events and will now go on to represent Boston at the national championships. He also competed prominently in other events — runner-up in the 800m freestyle and fourth in the 400m individual medley. In addition, he had fifth placed finishes in the 100m, 200m and 1500m freestyle races, sixth in the 200m IM and eighth in the 800m freestyle. His achievements gave him second place in the Bagcat awards (overall for all distances and events).

Boston’s other champion was Patrick Ikhena in the boys’ 12-and-under age group when he beat all his rivals in the 100m breaststroke (again earning him a place at the nationals). He was also second in the 200m breaststroke.

Elsewhere, Kimberley Van Haren continued her improved form at 10-years-and-under level. She took silver medals in the 100m and 200m butterfly plus the 200m breaststroke. She also went on to secure bronze medals in the 100m breaststroke plus 200m and 400m individual medley events. Her other high places included fifth spot in the 100m backstroke and 100m freestyle, sixth in the 200m backstroke and seventh in the 400m freestyle.

Laura Swain is Boston’s third swimmer to earn progress through to the nationals. At Coventry she took silver in the 11 years-and-under 200m breaststroke and bronze in the 100m breaststroke.

Sam Wright, who missed some preparation work due to a broken wrist, did well to finish fourth in the 13 years-and-under 100m breaststroke and seventh in the 200m breaststroke.

Reuben Reed, in his first championships, took fourth place in the 200m butterfly, fifth in the 400m freestyle and 200m IM plus sixth spot in the 100m butterfly — all at 10 years-and-under level.

Zak Lomas, who missed vital training due to illness in the build-up to the Coventry event, struggled somewhat but still managed a creditable fifth place in the 12 years-and-under 100m backstroke plus sixth placed finishes in the 200m backstroke and 800m freestyle.

Other Boston swimmers taking part and performing well despite missing out on top eight finishes were Sam Reed, Ikhuemose Ikhena, Oliver Street and Jessica Murfin.