Worcester Swimming Club sent a 32-strong squad to the County Development Open at Wolverhampton, coming away with a staggering haul of medals. Many swimmers achieved County Qualifying Times (CQTs) for 2017 and there were 13 gold medal winners across different age groups.
Isobella Wilkinson had an outstanding weekend, claiming six gold medals in the girl’s 10 year 50m freestyle in 35.02, 50m fly (42.01), 100m freestyle (1.20.02), 100m IM (1.30.55) and 50m breaststroke (46.32).
Top performing boy was Baeli Fern who grabbed four golds in the boy’s 13 year age group, with victories in the 50m breaststroke (42.54), 100m fly (1.28.51), 50m fly (36.99) and 100m free (1.12.43).
Adam Rutter stormed to first place in the boy’s 12 year old 100m fly in 1.28.39 as did Amelia Ciancio in the girl’s 12 year 100m IM in 1.24.31. There were also superb wins for Isabella Trow in the girl’s 13 year 50m breaststroke (43.11) and Jessica Dobson in the girl’s 10 year old 100m fly in 1.40.42). Dobson also took bronze in the 50m free (36.09) and 100m IM (1.36.66) as did Trow in the 100m fly (1.25.09).
Ciancio added silver medals to her gold haul in the 100m breaststroke (1.39.64), 50m free (34.48) and 50m fly (40.56), 100m free (1.15.55) and 50m breaststroke (46.32). Fern was also unlucky not to add more golds, with second place finishes in the 100m IM (1.20.64) and 50m free (33.44).
Samuel Pickess bagged a brace of silver medals in the boy’s 13 year age, with strong performances in the 100m breaststroke (1.39.18) and 100m free (1.24.31) plus bronze in the 50m breaststroke (46.13), while Katie Pettit grabbed second place in the girl’s 10 year 50m breaststroke (49.95) and added bronze in the 100m breaststroke (1.46.98).
In the 9 year age group, William Thomas and Milly Hemming all look like names to watch out for in the future. Thomas claimed three silver medals in the 50m breaststroke (51.88), 50m free (38.30) and 100m breaststroke (1.56.43) plus bronze in the 100m IM (1.40.11), with Hemming snatching second place in the 50m back (45.30).
William Pridden secured third places in the boy’s 9 year old 100m back (1.41.14) and 100m free (1.32.20) and there were individual bronze medals for Ciara Mahanta in the girl’s 11 year 50m fly (42.18) and Francesca Reed in the girl’s 9 year old 50m breaststroke (54.15).
Daniel Kearley was another swimmer to grab a brace of medals, with bronze coming in the boy’s 12 year old 100m fly (1.40.76) and 50m fly (43.32).
Fern and Amelia Ciancio also both made the prestigious skins finals following excellent performances in the IM, having qualified in the top six. Fern came third in the boy’s race, while Ciancio managed fourth spot.
The full squad at the Open meeting also included Freya Sinclair, Grace Ciancio, Abigal Trow, Poppy Daly, Natasha Dobson, Jennifer Latta, Harvey Cross, Erin Morris, Zoe Bloss, Lucy Beasley, Hannah Alfrink, Alice Kearley, Elizabeth Poole, Amina Lone, Hannah Dixon, Olivia Eggleton, Freya Dyson and Charles Dixon.