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Fifteen
swimmers from North Ayrshire Amateur Swimming Club last
week took part in a two-day graded meet hosted by the
City of Glasgow Swim Team at Tollcross Leisure Centre
in Glasgow. This event attracted a huge field of competitors
from all over Scotland, giving swimmers a chance to compete
in the 50m pool which is to be the venue for the swimming
events in the 2014 Commonwealth Games, with many experiencing
the challenge of a long-course pool for the first time.
All of the North Ayrshire swimmers achieved excellent
Personal Best times and seven were among the medal winners.
Robyn Stewart (15) had a fantastic clean sweep of four
gold medals over the meet in the four distances of the
girls' age 15-16 category Freestyle from 50m to 400m.
Younger sister, Maggie (14), swam in an energy-sapping
eight events in the girls 13-14 age group, collecting
a silver in the 400m Freestyle and a bronze in the 200m
Individual Medley . Catriona Fowlie (10) excelled at the
end of a long day in the gruelling 100m Butterfly to win
her second gold of the meet in the age 7-10 category,
following on from a gold in the 50m Backstroke. Gina Allan
(11) was superb, responding to the test of the long-course
pool, as she won gold in the age 11 category 100m Freestyle
and silver in the 100m Breaststroke. Also in the 100m
Freestyle, Rheanna Sloss (14) collected a silver in the
age 13-14 category with Eilidh Love (10) winning bronze
in the 7-10 age category to add to the silver she achieved
in the 100m Breaststroke. Completing the medal haul was
Alison Hughes (14) with a bronze in the age 13-14 50m
Backstroke. |
Scottish
Gas National Short Course Championships
A
team of young swimmers from North Ayrshire Amateur Swimming
Club competed successfully at the recent South Ayrshire
Mini Meet held at the Citadel Leisure Centre in Ayr. This
gala is aimed at swimmers aged up to 12 years old and
is a good opportunity to measure development against swimmers
from clubs all over West Central Scotland. At the top
of the medal table was Eilidh Love (10) who picked up
three gold medals in the 10 year old age category, in
the 50m and 200m Freestyle and, with a superb swim beating
the second-placed swimmer by almost 3 seconds, in the
100m Individual Medley. Eilidh also collected a silver
medal in the 50m Breaststroke and a bronze in the 50m
Backstroke. In the same age group, Catriona Fowlie (10)
scooped gold in the 50m Butterfly, silver in the 50m Backstroke
and bronze in the 200m Freestyle. Gabby Black (9) was
back in the medals with an impressive collection of five
silvers, an achievement matched for the boys in the same
age category by Mark Hughes. Glen Duffy (10) may need
to extend his medal storage area after a fantastic day
with six medals, including gold in the 50m Backstroke,
four silvers and a bronze. Other North Ayrshire swimmers
on the medal podium were Angus Dickson (10) with two bronze,
with other bronze medals won by Katie Inch (9), Briony
Thomson (9) and Emma Scully (8), with an impressive swim
in the 8-9 age group 200m Freestyle. Mention also of young
Rory Dickson (8) who showed great potential with his five
swims. Although not a club event, it is appropriate to
record the recent medal-winning achievements of club swimmers
in the 2010 Scottish Schools Championships with gold medals
won by Jordan and Ross Hughes (Ardrossan Academy) and
Jennifer King (Brisbane Primary School). |
Scottish
Gas National Short Course Championships
A
team of 13 top swimmers represented North Ayrshire Amateur
Swimming Club at the recent Scottish Gas National Short
Course Championships swam over three days at Tollcross
Leisure Centre in Glasgow. This year more North Ayrshire
swimmers qualified than in 2009 and they qualified to
swim in more events. 11 year old Jennifer King was outstanding,
breaking three Scottish age group records. The Nationals
are for Scotland's fastest swimmers and even achieving
the qualification times is a huge challenge. Amongst the
swimmers competing at Tollcross was Scotland's Hannah
Miley who represented Great Britain in the 2008 Olympics
and recently became European short course champion in
the 400m Individual Medley, showing the high level of
competition in the Nationals. Jennifer King finished thirteenth
in the Open 200m Backstroke, an event won by the 20 year
old Olympian, Hannah Miley, and smashed the Scottish age
group record in doing so. Jennifer also swam her way to
Scottish age group records in the 800m Freestyle and the
400m Individual Medley. Jordan Hughes (13) also excelled,
breaking the West District age group record in the 400m
Freestyle as he finished seventh in the 15 year old and
under category. The other team members also made the most
of the opportunity to swim at this high level, with Personal
Bests being recorded, almost right across the board. Congratulations
go to Kerry Andrew, Graham Brown, Heather McClymont, Julie
McClymont, Sarah Reford, Rheanna Sloss, Maggie Stewart
and Robyn Stewart. Head Coach, Sharon Welsh, said, "It
was really pleasing to achieve such good results so early
in the year and the number of swimmers who qualified shows
some of the progress we are making". Special mention goes
to the Young Masters from the Club, Pamela Wright (22),
Graeme Wallace (20) and brother Stuart Wallace (17) who
qualified for the Championships, fitting training in around
work and other commitments, showing that with huge amounts
of dedication it is possible to continue to swim to a
high level. |
Milngavie
and Bearsden
Swimmers
from North Ayrshire Amateur Swimming Club began 2010 successfully,
picking up where they left off before the Christmas holiday
break from competition.
The New Year kicked off with the Milngavie and Bearsden
Graded Meet held at Johnstone Pool. This was an opportunity
for experienced swimmers to try to improve their Personal
Best ("PB") times and for some of the recent new joiners
to the Club to experience the excitement of competition
for the first time.
Amy MacPherson won gold in the 12 year old 200m Individual
Medley in a PB, also winning a bronze in the 200m Freestyle
with another PB. Younger sister Ailie was also in among
the medals, picking up a silver in the 11 year old 200m
Individual Medley and bronze in the 50m Breaststroke,
also recording PBs.
Alison Hughes (14) swam her way to two silvers, one in
the 200m Freestyle and another in the 200m Individual
Medley in the 13-14 age group category.
Among the younger swimmers, Jasmine McKillop had a great
swim in the 9 year old 50m Freestyle to win a silver with
a very good PB and older sister Jade picked up a bronze
in the 200m Backstroke for 13-14 year olds.
For the boys, Christopher Liechti (13) recorded 4 very
good PBs in his 4 events in the 13-14 age group.
It's always exciting and nerve-racking for swimmers and
their parents entering their first competitive gala and
congratulations go to Abbie Freeman (8), Gina McGill (10),
Zoe Nix (11) and Meredith Scott (8) for competing enthusiastically
and recording their first PBs, giving them times to beat
next time out. |
West
Districts
What a fantastic end to the year for North Ayrshire Amateur
Swimming Club at the Tryst Pool Cumbernauld, where at
this last event of the West District 2008/09 calendar
the Club secured an impressive tally of points to win
the Mary Black Trophy. This is the first time NAASC has
won this prestigious Award and caps off a wonderful year
for the Club, who earlier this year won the two Clyde
Coast competitions - Mini-League and the Winter League.
Going into this final round of West District group meetings,
NAASC were lying in second place, 40 points behind City
of Glasgow, generally regarded as the strongest Club out
of the 30 in the District. However, by the end of the
last event on the Sunday afternoon over the weekend of
28th/29th November an across the board performance by
our swimmers meant that 'NAASC' overtook 'City of Glasgow
Swim Team' and claimed first place ahead of 'Falkirk Otters'.
The final points score for the year: "
1st NAASC 832
2nd Falkirk Otters 806
3rd City of Glasgow Swim Team 761
Highlights over the weekend included Ross Hughes securing
four West District Records and named 'Best Boy' (11),
Jordan Hughes won 'Best Boy' (13) securing on his way
4 British (ASA) entry times for 2010, Jennifer King recorded
2 West District and 2 Scottish Records and won 'Best Girl'
(11) and Demi Orr (10) achieved a West District Record
in her 800m Freestyle. Along with all those medals won,19
Gold, 5 Silver and 3 Bronze, championship points and impressive
Personal Bests were recorded by others, John Wright PB'd
4 out of 4, Eilidh Love 3 out of 3, Kristin Andrew 3 out
of 4, Rowan Smith 1 out of 2. Once again it cannot be
underestimated what your local competitive swim club has
achieved this year where we really are, in terms of funding
and Club membership, "a small fish swimming in a big pool"!
As this is the last Gala Report for 2009, the Committee
would like to congratulate all those swimmers for their
achievements this year, whether learning to dive off the
starting blocks or winning Golds at the British Nationals
at Sheffield. We would also like to recognise the massive
efforts of all the volunteer coaches and poolside helpers
led by Head Coach Sharon Welsh and ably assisted by Sally
Brown. You should rightly be proud of your local swimming
club. |
Graded
Meet
North Ayrshire Amateur Swimming Club held it's 'Graded'
meeting over the weekend of 7th & 8th November at 'Harvies'
Leisure Pool and the Club was delighted to welcome a clubs
from the length and breadth of the country. This particular
event generally allows younger and emerging swimmers,
as well as swimmers who perhaps don't normally swim at
District or National level, to compete with others of
a similar ability. It is always well supported and generally
generates a greater atmosphere than 'Open' events. This
weekend was apparently no exception where the report was
a "lively meet" with great vocal support coming from the
spectators. Gaby Black (9) won 2 golds & 2 silvers, Catriona
Campbell (16) won a gold, 3 silvers and a bronze, Jade
MacKillop (13) won a gold, silver and a bronze, Rowan
Smith (12) and Alison Hughes (14) both won a gold and
a silver, and Gina Allan (11) and Sarah Reford (13) won
a gold each. However, the most impressive results were
the number of PB's recorded by the likes of Rowan, Sarah,
Eilidh Love and Kirsten Andrew. The boys performed similarly
well, with Glen Duffy (10) having a great weekend recording
4 Pb's and securing 2 golds for his 400 m freestyle and
200m backstroke events. David Campbell (20) won 2 golds
and 2 silvers, Mark Hughes won gold, 2 silvers and a bronze,
Angus Dickson (10) won gold & 2 silvers, John Wright (12)
and Nathan Priceman (9) both won gold, Michael Thompson
(15) won 3 silvers and Andrew Dickson secured a silver
in his 200 m IM. Again, the most gratifying aspect of
the performance put in by the boys was the number of PB's
recorded - Andrew & Angus Dickson, Glen, Michael, Lewis
Henry and Jordi Young.
Detail results for every event can be located on the clubs
web site: : www.naasc.co.uk
A number of these swimmers will be amongst those being
with Club Championship shields at this Friday's 'Awards
Evening' being held at 'Fiddlers Nightspot'. All Club
members are invited to attend (7 -9pm) where fun evening
is promised - please remember to bring food and something
to drink. Don MacKillop promises to give a prize to best
'Dad Dancing' performed on the evening! |

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