Young swimmers bring home big medals haul

Jun 12 2008

SOUTH Lanarkshire Swimming Club returned from the Manchester Open Meet recently with an impressive haul of medals after finishing ninth overall.

The group, which comprises six local clubs, sent an 18-strong team to the event, held in the city’s Aquatics Centre, a venue for the 2012 Commonwealth Games.

South Lanarkshire won four gold, four silver and seven bronze medals, chalked up a new Scottish Junior record, had seven swimmers placed in the top 10 overall in their age category, and achieved 32 other top-eight places.

In the 14/15 age group, Corrie Scott opened with a gold in the 50m breaststroke, taking Kirsty Balfour’s Scottish Junior Record in the process, and she also took first places in the 100m and 200m breaststroke events.

Iona Campbell finished third overall with some strong performances, the pick of which was fourth place in the 400m individual medley, recording a new long-course personal best.

Lindsay Bloomer finished fifth in 50m and 200m freestyle events, finishing fifth overall.

Rachel Smithers was seventh in the 50m breaststroke, Rebecca Kondol swam a long-course personal best in the 50m breaststroke, and Caitlin McGowan produced a series of strong performances with a top-20 finish in the 200m breaststroke.

Victoria Gourlay was the sole South Lanarkshire swimmer in the 16+ age group, and she won silver in the 50m and 100m breaststroke, bronze in the 200m breaststroke, producing four long-course personal bests, and taking four other top-eight places.

Emily Brown led the way in the 13-years girls’ section, with seventh place in the 50m breaststroke, while Alice Carey and Nicole Widdowson also shattered their previous personal best times. Alice competed in the 100m and 200m breaststroke, while Nicole took part in the 50m backstroke and butterfly.

Scott Widdowson stormed to victory in the 17+ 50m backstroke, and took third in the 50m butterfly.

A series of excellent swims, which also included fifth in the 50m freestyle and four personal best times, saw him take second place overall in his age group.

Ally Stirling took the top overall award in the 15/16 boys’ age group as he raced to third in the 50m and 200m freestyle, and recorded five other top-eight finishes, which included three new long-course personal best times.

Ross McCafferty took second place overall, winning silver in the 50m backstroke, and bronze in the 50m butterfly and 100m backstroke, recording personal best times.

He also made five other top-eight placings, with four new long-course personal bests.

Ryan Docherty took ninth overall with four top-eight placings, recording new long-course personal bests in the 50m breaststroke and freestyle events.

Chris Wilson (14), won bronze in the 50m backstroke and finished fifth in the 50m freestyle, among five new long-course personal bests.

Connor Hughes (13), won silver in the 50m backstroke, finished fifth in the 50m breaststroke and 200m butterfly and seventh in the 50m butterfly, in six personal bests.

Scott Murray was fourth in the 50m backstroke, one of five new personal bests, while Jonathan Stuart recorded four personal bests.

Colin Hood, a member of the UK Coaching Hall of Fame, and who was guest coach for the weekend, said: “The South Lanarkshire swimmers showed a positive attitude and a real appetite to learn.

“They responded well to being out of their comfort zone in a different environment, and produced some great swims.”