ASA NER Bagcat / Junior / Senior Championship (Short-Course) 2011 – Report

ASA NER Bagcat / Junior / Senior Championship (Short-Course) 2011

In what was one of the most hectic meets of the year City of Sunderland ASC showed there continued development in the pool. With the event running simultaneous pools the action was thick and fast. 

In the Bagcat championships (Boys 11-14yrs & Girls 10 – 13yrs) Sunderland athletes had an outstanding meet finishing with a huge medal haul of 6Gold 7Silver and 8Bronze.

Leading the way was Joseph Pomfret (11) who became double champion when striking gold in the 200m Butterfly and 400m IM Joe also added to his tally of medals with double Bronze in the 200m IM and 100m Butterfly.

Brothers and team mates Thomas (12) and James (14) Burns both walked away with championship titles in the Boys 1500m Freestyle.

Andrew Markham (13) powered his way to a new lifetime best in the 200m Backstroke stopping the clock in a time of 2.17.77 to claim silver.

Not to be outdone were Sunderland’s female athletes leading the way for the girls were Jessica Thompson (13) and Freya Rayner (13) who both struck gold in the 400m IM and 100m Backstroke. Both girls secured the title inside the qualifying time for the 2012 ASA National Age Group Championships .Both girls added a bronze to the medal haul in the 100m Breastroke and 100m Freestyle respectively. 

Jodi Bunker (12) had an outstanding series of swims as she finished her weekend with four silvers in the 400m IM, 400m Freestyle, 800m Freestyle and 200m Butterfly as well as joining the City contingent in Sheffield for the National Age Group Championships 2012.

Lauren Patterson (12) chipped into the medal haul claiming silver in the 200m Freestyle stopping the clock in a new best time of 2.16.31.

Also making her contribution was Beth Nicholson who struck silver in the gruelling 800m Freestyle to cap an exceptional weekend form the Sunderland Team. 

In the midst of the Bagcat action the Youth Senior athletes were undertaking the the prospect of heats and finals.

The youth squad was not to be outdone by there younger team mates in the pool next to them. It was Jonny Carlisle (19) just days after returning from International Duty with the England Squad in Canada who toped the table claiming three titles. He claimed the Backstroke double in 100m and 200m in a scorching 54.8 that ranks him 10th in Great Britain and 2.00.1. He showed further more his new found turn of speed when claiming the title on 50m Freestyle in a new lifetime best of 23.2.

Training partners Dan Heeley (21) and Adam Taylor (15) each chipped in with a bronze medal. Dan powered home to record a seasons best time of 51.78 in the men’s 100m Freestyle and Adam only 15 struck bronze in the 50m Butterfly in a impressive time of 26.2 in a field of men many years his elder.

The female squad is lacking in age but not ability. With many of our females still eligible for junior medals they found themselves up against competitors much older.

Alex Robinson (17) produced a series of wonderful displays showing her versatility in the pool. Alex walked away from the meet with three bronze medals in the 800m Freestyle, 200m IM and 400m IM.Alex’s time of 8.48.83 sees her make a huge push in the national rankings pushing herself to 13th place in Great Britain. 

Lucy Walton (14) and current ASA National Age Group Champion in the 200m Backstroke was not to be intimidated in the Senior final as she showed her potential when stopping the clocking a new lifetime best of 2.17.90 to strike for bronze behind Sian Morgan (City of Bradford) who swam in Delhi in the 2010 Commonwealth games and the eventual winner the City of Newcastle’s Phoebe Lenderyou a European Junior and Commonwealth Youth Games Medallist.

A special mention goes to Emma Sinclair who produced a series of outstanding displays throughout the weekend earning final places in the 200m Backstroke finishing 4th just missing a medal by 0.03 and the 200m Butterfly where she finished in 5th place.

This was an outstanding meet both at Age Group and Youth/Senior level for the City of Sunderland. As we move into 2012 its very encouraging to see some many young athletes coming trough the programme” Said Performance Coach Danny Thompson .