DSE NATIONAL SHORT COURSE SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS 2008 PONDS FORGE SHEFFIELD

Eleni Papadopoulos (16) a member of Junior Olympic 2 was in action the weekend of the 1st & 2nd November 2008 at the Disability Sport Event (DSE) National Short Course Swimming Championships.

Nationwide Building Society supported the event held at Sheffield’s Ponds Forge in which fifteen WORLD and thirty EUROPEAN records were smashed.

Eleni a relatively new member to the programme at Sunderland was in blistering form taking National Championships Titles in the 100m Individual Medley and 100m Butterfly S10 class, she also swam her way to an astounding 6 silvers and 1 bronze for what was an unbelievable weekends racing.

Eleni is now back in training at Sunderland Aquatic Centre as her focus now moves to the Welsh National Short Course Championships held in Swansea from the 13th-14th December 2008.         

NER SENIOR / JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

    FREEMANS QUAY DURHAM 1ST & 2ND NOVEMBER 2008

Conor Crozier and Matthew Snowden took the opportunity to test themselves against the best talent from across the North East Region applying themselves extremely well.

Conor competed in four events across the weekend 200,400,800,1500FS swimming just outside his best in the 200FS but claimed excellent personal bests in the 400m FS placing 32nd the 800m FS placing 16th and the 1500m FS finishing in 19th place.

Matthew swam in the 50m Breastroke taking 11th spot slightly down on his best time. Matthew claimed a top 10 finish in the Junior section in the 100m Breastroke finishing in 9th place.

Well done to both swimmers in what was a tough weekends racing.  

24TH OCTOBER 2008 – BURNS GREEN LEISURE CENTRE

Three swimmers from JO2 made the short trip across into Chester Le Street from there base at the Sunderland Aquatic Centre.
The three swimmers all put in solid displays taking home two medals 1silver 1 bronze and 1 top 10 finish.

It was once again Rachel Sinclair who was the standout performer as she continued her impressive start to the season when she lowered her lifetime best for the 14yrs 800m FS for the 2nd time in a week to take silver in an impressive time of 9.55.58.

A solid display of racing saw Matthew Bell 14 take Bronze in the boys 1500m FS just outside his best time swam a week earlier in Middlesbrough.

Not to be outdone was 13yr old Alex Pierce Harrison who swam his way to a new best time of 19.30.88 in the 1500m FS.

A small squad of seven swimmers from Junior Olympic 2 travelled south to Middlesbrough’s Neptune Centre for the 2nd meet of the Graded series. The squad may have been small in numbers but there medal tally certainly was not, they claimed 5 GOLD, 4 SILVER & 4 BRONZE along with 20 other top 10 finishes in an exceptionally good weekends racing.

Triple gold medallist Dima Isakua struck with best times in the 100m BRST, 100m IM, and 1500m FS in a NER QT of 18.05.00 to go with the bronze that he claimed in the 100m BK also a best time.

In a mighty return to form Matthew Bell (14) claimed gold in the 100m BF in a new best time of 1.13.04 to go with the double bronze in the 200mIM and the 1500m FS  both swims were lifetime bests.

Danny Scurr (14) secured gold in the 200m FS also in a new best time to go with the silver in the 100m BF.Sixteen year old Conor Crozior took home a silver in his only appearance of the meet in the boys 100m BRST.

Rachel Sinclair continued her fine form from the BOSS Open Meet as she took silver in the 100m FS.
An excellent performance came by the way of 14yr old Ryan Savage who smashed his previous best time in the 200m FS to take away silver.
Seventeen year old Tian Abrie claimed bronze in the 100m BK with a fine swim.

These seven swimmers are proof that with hard work and commitment that results will follow.

Junior Olympic 2 swimmers will now look forward to North East Regional Championships for Seniors & Juniors, North East Regional Championships for Age Group Swimmers.

Swimmers will be training with full time Community Swimming Coach Danny Thompson.

Criteria

• Swimmers would normally be between 13 and 18 years of age.
• Have advanced stroke technique and effective turns in all four strokes
• Swimmers will normally be of Regional/ County Standard.
• Must be able to perform 400 IM under ASA laws and swim 1500m continuously using competition turns
• Minimum attendance of seven or eight sessions for 13 & 14year olds
Eight or nine sessions 14+ year olds per week
• Completion of all land based sessions unless otherwise directed by Squad Coach

Aims

• To enforce the swimmers competition and training skills, ready for the intense training required in the National Squad
• To introduce swimmers to energy systems and cyclical training
• To develop core stability and basic strength through land training
• Educate swimmers on time management, healthy lifestyles and gala protocols
• To build swimmers discipline and commitment levels
• To keep a detailed log book
• Swimmers will target National Championships, North East Regional Championships, Northumberland & Durham Championships and various selected Open Meets
• There will also be trips around the United Kingdom as well as abroad for selected swimmers.

“WINNERS ARE SIMPLY PREPARED TO DO WHAT LOSERS WON’T ”

Coach: Danny Thompson, email

Squad Managers:
Bill Joyce, Ina Arbrie

Fees: £55 pm