Swim kids start the new term in style
Thursday, 18th October 2012
Barnet meet: Top Team Trophy winners
Published: 18 October, 2012
NATIONAL ARENA LEAGUE GALA AT HATFIELD by STEVE BARNETT
ONE of the biggest and most successful swimming clubs in the capital showed its strength in depth on Saturday as the National Arena League returned for what promises to be another scintillating season.
A top team of youngsters ranging from nine to 18 years turned out in force as Camden Swiss Cottage Swimming Club travelled to Hatfield for their opening Division One meet.
With eight teams from the London area battling for precious points, Camden were delighted to finish second to hosts Hatfield Swimming Club, which is known for having one of the very best youth programmes in Great Britain.
One of the most exciting wins in the 50-event competition came in the boys’ nine-to-11 age group. With Arion Statovci swimming the backstroke, Alex Borisov the breaststroke, Matyas Molnar the butterfly and Mika Fitzpatrick-Suen the freestyle, Camden stormed to victory in the 4x50m medley relay.
Alex also won the 50m butterfly with a time of 36.66 seconds in the individual boys’ 10-11 age group.
The boys’ 13 and under 4x50m freestyle relay quartet were also victorious, with Dempster Fawden, Qasim Khan, Bryce Puszet and Andrew Garcia swimming out of their skins. Bryce and Andrew also won their respective 100m backstroke and 100m butterfly events in the 13 and under individual category.
In the open age group, Sophie Rittenhouse won the 100m backstroke in 1.03.38, while Leo Jaggs won the 100m freestyle in 51.52. Leo was also part of the men’s open 6x50m freestyle relay team which secured a valuable second-place finish in the final event of the evening, joining forces with Josh Kenway, Joan-Sebastian Tello, James Slade, Iao Pok Wong and Victor Amara.
Dynamic duo Olivia Willis and Indigo Mathews also picked up good points. Competing in the 15 and under category, Olivia finished second in the 100m backstroke and the 100m breaststroke, while in the 13 and under age group Indigo was second in the 100m butterfly and the 100m freestyle. Indigo also joined team-mates Georgia Higgins, Darcey Hookway and Helen Sceales to help the girls’ 13 and under team secure a hugely impressive second place place finish in the 4x50m freestyle relay.
The string of impressive results followed a good showing at the Middlesex County Championships.
The swim star of the show was Sarah Taylor-Reid, who won the women’s open 100m and 200m breaststroke trophies with respective times of 1.16.44 and 2.43.71. The talented 17-year-old also finished third in the 50m breaststroke.
Sophie Rittenhouse, 17, won the 50m butterfly in a very closely fought final and was third in the 50m backstroke.
Tamir Gonen-Cohen, 15, won the open and junior 200m butterfly, the junior 100m butterfly and the 800m freestyle, and was third in the junior 50m butterfly.
Tamsin McKinnon, 16, won the 50m breaststroke final outright in 35.15 seconds, taking both the open and junior trophies in one fell swoop. She was also third in the junior 100m breaststroke.
Tudor Puszet produced one of the outstanding performances of the meet with a double win in the men’s open and the junior boys’ 1500m freestyle, shaving 20 seconds off his previous best time to hit home in 16.45.98. He was also second in the 400m freestyle.
There were also podium places for Rosie Hughes, who was second in the 50m backstroke and third in the 100m individual medley, and Joan-Sebastian Tello, who finished second in the men’s 100m individual medley.
Kelly Hookway was second in the final of the women’s 100m butterfly, taking the junior trophy in the process with a time of 1.06.08. She also scored third place in the junior 50m butterfly.
At just 15-years-old, Olivia Willis was outstanding in the Junior Championships as she took second spot in the open 100m breaststroke. She was the second junior in the 100m freestyle, the 50m and 100m backstroke and third in both the 100m and 200m individual medley.
Amelia Brown wrapped up a successful showing at the competition by finishing third in the 400m junior freestyle.
Camden Swiss Cottage continued their winning streak at the Barnet Copthall Swimming Club Novices meet, where a talented young squad returned to action following the summer break in spectacular style by winning the Top Team Trophy.
The stand out swimmers – and multi-medal winners – included Lauren Brantley, who clinched the Top Girl Award, and nine-year-olds Marliese Rittenhouse and Chloe Berko-Boateng.
