Middlesbrough Open Meet 2012 – by Ann Rogers.
Sunderland’s swimmers took to the water again at the weekend to compete in the 11th Middlesbrough Open Meet with tremendous success. The swimmers from the Performance and Development A squads not only won 64 medals over the three days of competition but gained qualifying times for national and regional events, claimed 4 meet records and numerous club records, won a skins event finished top in two age groups and broke a British Short Course Disability record.
Taking home a magnificent seven gold medals was 15 year old Adam Taylor who dominated the 100m and 200m distances in backstroke, freestyle and butterfly and in the 200 I/M. In the process of winning he broke the meet record for the 100m Backstroke (set in 2004) and finished top in the male 15/16 age group category.  He also set new club records in all events bar one.
Reaching similar heights was Jonathan Carlisle (19) who finished first in the 100m and 200m backstroke, first in the 200m I/M and 100m freestyle and second in the 200m freestyle. He set new meet records in both backstroke events by beating his own records set at last year’s meet. His 200 I/M time was a national qualifying time. In the mens’ skins event, Jonathan finished runner-up.
Performing brilliantly were Freya Rayner (13) and Jodi Bunker (12). Freya made it a hat trick with gold in the 100m and 200m backstroke and the 100m freestyle events and added a silver medal with second place finish in the 200m I/M. Her 200m backstroke time was a national qualifying time and her 50m split time was a club record. Freya finished 3rd in the Female 13 year age category. Jodi won seven medals: treble gold in the 100m and 200m breaststroke and 400m freestyle, silver in the 200m freestyle and 100m freestyle an
d bronze in the 200m I/M and 200m butterfly events. Her 400m freestyle time qualified her for another event at the nationals.  In the junior girls’ skins event, Jodi came first and she also claimed top spot in the female 12 year age category.
Alexandra Robinson (17) won two silver medals and a bronze medal in the 400m freestyle, 100m backstroke and 100m breaststroke events, setting a new club record in the 100m breaststroke. Jennifer Tatters (17) came 3rd in the 200m backstroke. Fifteen year olds Lucy Ellis and Emma Sinclair brought home a further six medals. Lucy was 1st in the 200m I/M, 2nd in the 400m freestyle, and 3rd in the 200m backstroke and freestyle events, breaking the meet record in the 400m freestyle and club records in the 200m freestyle and I/M.   Emma won gold in the 100m butterfly also with a club record and was 3rd in the 200m I/M.
Matthew Wylie (15) broke the British Short Course Record for swimmers in the S9 class of disability in the 200m freestyle. His time of 2.11.68 broke the record by 1.32 seconds. The record had stood since 1998, highlighting the strength of his achievement.
Lucy Walton (14) clinched a further 3 club records by winning the 200m backstroke and finishing 2nd in the 100m backstroke and 200m butterfly events. She finished 3rd in the 100m butterfly and this was sufficient to place her 3rd overall in the female 14/15 year old age category. Also fourteen, James Burns (14) won a bronze medal in the 400m freestyle.
For the thirteen year old girls, Laura Taylor brought home a gold medal from the 200m freestyle and two bronze in the 100m freestyle and 200m backstroke. Jessica Thompson added to the medal tally by winning four medals: second in the 100m and 200m butterfly and 3rd in the 100m and 200m breaststroke events. Gabrielle Burdess finished strongly winning silver medals in the 400m freestyle and 200m breaststroke.
In the younger age categories, Beth Nicholson (11) underlined her versatility, winning gold in the 200m freestyle, silver in the 200m and 100m backstroke, 100m freestyle, 200m I/M and butterfly and a bronze medal in the 100m butterfly. She also improved upon her 100m freestyle club record. These results placed her in second spot in the female 11 year age category. Eve Larsen (11) won two silver medals in the 400m and 100m breaststroke events whilst Amy Henshaw (12) won a bronze medal in the 200m backstroke with a much improved time. Not to be out done by the girls, Callum Dann (11) took home six medals. He finished first in the 200m freestyle, second in the 100m freestyle and third in the 200m I/M and backstroke, 100m butterfly and breaststroke events taking 3rd place in the male 11 year age category. To complete the medal haul, Joseph Pomfret (12) came second in the 200m butterfly also with a personal best time.
Jennifer Sharp and Andrew Markham gained further regional qualifying times. Â Thomas Burns, Joshua Campbell, Abigail Carlisle, Ashlyn Liddle, Joe Middleton, Callum Reveley, Natalya Sharp, Jack Tallentire and Jay Whitehead, achieved personal bests to finish just outside the medal positions, capping a successful weekend for the club.
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