A 17 strong squad from Stratford Sharks produced plenty of good performances in the Nuneaton & Bedworth Open Meet. Always a popular event it was also the last qualifying opportunity before the closing date for this years Midland Youth Championships for Girls 14/over & Boys 15/over This strong competition which attracted entries from 37 clubs saw the Sharks rise to the occasion with an 80% personal best success rate, 9 Midland Youth Qualifying Times (MYQT), 2 National Youth Championship Qualifying Times (NYQT) and 6 new Age Group Club Records achieved.

  The events competed were over the 100 & 200 metre distances in age groups of 9/10, 11/12, 13/14 & 15/over. The first event was the Boys 200m Freestyle which saw 8 Stratford competitors, Ed Caswell, Matthew Newman and Aleksander Forysiak in the 11/12’s all setting new personal bests (pb’s), which was matched by Josh Walker and Josh Newman in the 13/14’s with Alex Helliwell also competing. In the oldest 15/over age group, Michael Ankrett (15) swam a new pb improving his MYQT to finish 5th with Joe Evans (15) taking silver in a new pb and club record to improve his MYQT and also qualify for the National Youth Championships. Stratford’s 3 girls in the 100m Backstroke, Sarah Peacop & Kara Malins in the 13/14’s and Ellen Price in the 11/12 all achieved new pb times which were matched by the Boys in the 100m Breaststroke, Josh Newman & Alex Helliwell in the 13/14’s and Aleksander Forysiak & Matthew Newman in the 11/12’s, Ed Caswell narrowly missing out.

  The next medal, Club record and MYQT fell to Joe Evans in the 15/over 200m Individual Medley where he took bronze in the 15/over age group. Josh Walker & Josh Newman both set new pb’s in the 13/14 age group. In the Girls 100m Freestyle, Laura Bryan, Kara Malins, Eve Morley, Ellen Price, Sarah Peacop & Becky Tame all set pb’s with the latter setting a new MYQT.

  Joe Evans was in excellent form and in the next event, the 100m Butterfly he took his third Age Group Club Record of the day in a MYQT and a silver medal in the 15/over age group, Michael Ankrett & Alex Helliwell also taking new pb’s with Ankrett taking 4th in the 15/over age group. The Girls 200m Breaststroke saw two of the Sharks youngest competitors, Annie Cox and Kathryn Lythgo both 9yrs old with Kathryn securing a new club record. In the older age groups, Ellen Price & Kara Malins set new pb times, Eve Morley & Becky Tame narrowly missing out on pb’s but Becky took the bronze medal in the 15/over age group.

  In the last event of the first day the Boys 200m Backstroke, the Sharks youngest competitor Andrew Morley set the tone with a fantastic pb in the 11/12 age group, Alex Helliwell and Josh Walker finishing within a tenth of a second of each other in the 13/14’s and Joe Evans taking a new MYQT and bronze medal position in the 15/over. The second day opened with the Girls 200m Backstroke which saw Ellen Price and Kara Malins take new pb’s. The Boys 100m Freestyle followed, Aleksander Forysiak & Ed Caswell swimming pb’s in the 11/12 age group & Josh Walker contested the 13/14’s. In the 15/over age group Michael Ankrett improved his MYQT to finish 3rd behind Joe Evans who also improved his best time to take silver in a new Age Group Club Record and NYQT.

  Sarah Peacop in the 13/14 year 100 Fly was Stratford’s sole representative and again achieved a new best time which was matched by Aleksander Forysiak in the Boys 200m Breaststroke. Four swimmers contested the Girls 200m Individual Medley, Ellen Price, Kara Malins & Sarah Peacop all swimming pb’s with Becky Tame taking gold in the 15/over age group. In the 200m Freestyle, Rebecca Tame, Sarah Peacop, Ellen Price & Kathryn Lythgo all achieved new best times with the latter setting her second Age Group Club Record of the weekend.

  Just two Sharks competed in the Boys 100m Backstroke, Josh Walker who set another best time as did Joe Evans who finished 4th in the 15/over age group his only none top 3 finish of the weekend but he did have the consolation of another MYQT his tenth of the season. Another successful weekend of competition was wrapped up by the Girls 100m Breaststroke, Kara Malins, Becky Tame, Sarah Peacop and Annie Cox competing with Kara & Annie taking excellent new pb times.