DEVON COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIPS

Sessions 2 -5 2002

Last Saturday, 9th February, Kelly College swimmers did themselves proud at the second and third sessions of the Devon County Championships and Age-groups at Central Park Pools, Plymouth, coming away with 35 medals, 14 gold, 8 silver and 13 bronze. With the change in the rules this year ages for these Championships are as 17th March, 2002 instead of 31st December 2002. Throughout the year each Championship, such as the Western Counties and Nationals, will have a different date for the Age-groups so that swimmers will be swimming against different people as the year progresses.

Matthew Langman(9) won the 200m freestyle in his age-group in a personal best(pb) of 2.42.48, giving him a Western Counties qualifying time (WCQT). In the ten years age-group Thomas Worth did a 14 second pb of 2.55.25 to come in 5th and achieve a WCQT.

The eleven years age group saw Matthew Henry take gold in 2.20.98 in the 200m Freestyle, a 9 second pb and a WCQT. Matthew also won the 400m Freestyle in 4.53.58, another pb and WCQT and also a National qualifying time (NQT) for 12 year olds, the age-group Matthew will swim in the Western Counties and the Nationals. Joshua Lake (11) came 5th in the 200m freestyle in 2.33.43 and also 5th in the 400m freestyle in 5.24.12, both times were pbs and WCQTs for Joshua. Will Cummings(11) with a pb of 2.53.68 in the 200m freestyle was placed 14th.

Thomas Howe, Daniel Kidwell and Nye Levett were Kelly College's representatives in the 12 year age-group for boys. The 200m freestyle saw Nye Levett take his first ever gold medal in the Devon Age-groups with a pb and WCQT for 13 year old boys of 2.14.76. Thomas Howe, who will still be swimming as a 12 year until September, came third in the 200m freestyle in 2.14.62 a NQT, WCQT and a pb. Daniel Kidwell finished 4th in a pb and WCQT of 2.19.24. The 400m Freestyle had Thomas equal 1st with Patrick Friel, Exeter City in 6.42.26(pb,WCQT and NQT), Nye 3rd in 4.43.77 (pb, WCQT) and Daniel Kidwell 4th in 4.49.94(pb & WCQT).

Jack Cockerton (13), making his debut as a Kelly College swimmer, took 3 gold medals in his age-group all in National and Western Counties qualifying times and all personal bests. 200m f/c - 2.06.41, 400m f/c 4.29.11 and 400m Individual Medley 4.59.48.

The boys 14years age-group and Kelly College had four representatives, Jonathan Wills, Saul Rogers, Gavin Stokes and Healthy Wong. Healthy in the 200m f/c swam 2.16.11(pb) to be placed 4th in the heats, but withdrew from the final. Jonathan Wills in a pb and WCQT of 2.08.65 came 2nd in the 200m f/c with Saul Rogers 2.09.33 3rd. The 400m f/c saw Saul take 3rd place yet again in 4.38.94(pb), Healthy 4th in 4.43.63(pb) and Gavin Stokes 6th in 5.08.57.

The Open Championships had Robert Pratt and Peter Freedman of Kelly College Swim Team taking 3rd and 4th in their age-group (17/over) and the Open Championship in the 200m f/c, both in pbs and WCQTs. Peter also took 4th place in the 400m f/c 17/over and 5th in the Open in 4.15.01(pb & WCQT).

Kelly College girls had Melane Crick (10) take a splendid 3rd place in the 200m f/c in a 14 second pb of 2.44.69 which gives her an 11 year old WCQT. This was Melanie's first ever Devon Championships and she thoroughly deserved her medal.

Brikitta Batten, also swimming in her first Devon's came 4th in the girls 12 year old age-group in the 400m f/c in a time of 5.20.31.

In the 14year age-group Beth Campbell-Boseley came 1st in the 200m f/c in 2.15.25(WCQT), and 2nd in the 400m f/c in 4.43.83(pb & WCQT). This swim also placed her 5th in the 400m f/c Championship. Sarah Reader(14) came 4th in both the 200m f/c in 2.22.66(pb) and 400m f/c in 5.00.65(pb). Louise Amery swam 5.08.18 to finish 7th in the 400m f/c for 14 year old girls. Sarah Thomas won 2 golds, the 400m Individual Medley in 5.07.51 (NQT,WCQT & pb), which also placed her third in the Open Championship and the 400m f/c, 4.35.39 another pb and WCQT, which placed her 4th in the Open Championship.

Jemma Coates, only just back into training after several months of illness, performed a pb in the girls 15 years 200m f/c of 2.18.03 placing her 4th and then in the 400m f/c in a time of 4.55.99 took a bronze medal, making this an excellent come-back for Jemma. Lauren Foster(15) took 10th place in the 200m f/c in 2.28.75(pb).

The 16 year age-group found Jacqui Couch in good form to take 1st place in the 400m f/c in 4.47.84 (pb & WCQT) and 2nd in the 200m f/c in 2.16.12 (WCQT) and 3rd in the 400m Individual Medley in 5.26.63(pb).

Two girls represented Kelly College in the 17/over age-group, Samantha Calcutt and Rachel Banfield. Sam took her first Open and 17/over age-group Championship in winning the 200m f/c in 2.07.59(pb & WCQT), with Rachel 3rd in both ages in 2.10.61 (pb & WCQT). The rolls were reversed in the 400m f/c with Rachel 2nd in the 17/over and 3rd in the Open in a time of 4.33.25(pb & WCQT) and Sam 4th in the 17/over and 6th in the Open in 4.44.31 (WCQT). Rachel also swam the 400m Individual Medley where she placed 2nd in both her age-group and the Championship in a time of 5.00.70 which was a pb, WCQT and a NQT.

Altogether, Kelly College achieved 8 National qualifying times, 32 Western Counties qualifying times and 37 personal bests.

Sunday, 10th February, sessions 4 & 5, was a day of relay team events. Kelly College again were amongst the medals, 14 team medals in all, 8 team gold (32 medals), 2 team silver (8 medals) and 4 team bronze (16 medals).

The girls 9/10 year relay team put on a good show with three of the girls, Charlotte Spicer, Philippa Murphy and Amy Bayliss making their debut at the Devon County Championships. Melanie Crick was the fourth member of the team and although they won no medals this time, they all gained valuable experience and thoroughly enjoyed the day.

The boys 9/10 years team of Thomas Wylie, Thomas Worth, Matthew Langman and Joe Crick came third in both the medley and freestyle relays.

A superb demonstration of good fast swimming was put on by both the boys 11/12 years and 13/14 years relay teams. Nye Levett, Daniel Kidwell, Thomas Howe and Matthew Henry (11/12) and Saul Rogers, Jack Cockerton, Jonathan Wills and Jack Williams (13/14) won the medley and freestyle team events in style.

The girls 13/14 years team of Sarah Reader, Jenny Onyon, Sarah Thomas and Beth Campbell-Boseley placed 2nd in both relays being beaten by less than a second in each event.

The girls Open Championship saw Rachel Banfield, Jacqui Couch, Sarah Thomas and Samantha Calcutt take both trophies for the second year running, whilst the mens team of Russell Page-Dove, Jack Cockerton, Peter Freedman & Robert Pratt (medley team) and Russell Page-Dove, Jonathan Wills, Peter Freedman and Robert Pratt (freestyle team), took 3rd place in both events.

The Schools Freestyle Relay Trophies were both won by Kelly College, the boys team were Jack Cockerton, Jonathan Wills, Nye Levett and Saul Rogers and the girls team Jemma Coates, Beth Campbell-Boseley, Jenny Onyon and Sarah Thomas.

The next sessions of the Championships will be held the 2nd/3rd March at Central Park Pools, Plymouth.