A magnificent seven

Event: ASA South West Regional Youth Championships Venue: Millfield School Date: 4th to 6th May 2013

Dolphin’s national qualifier tally increased to seven last weekend at the ASA South West Regional Championships where Jon Audis made the national grade in the 100m backstroke and the girls’ 4 x 200m freestyle team of Charlotte Pitts, Lauren Matthews, Victoria Jennings and Georgina Pitts recorded a time that will also enable them to take on the country’s best at Ponds Forge, Sheffield in July.

A Dolphin squad of 21 were at Millfield for the Championships which for some would be the pinnacle of their season, but for most would hopefully be a springboard towards achieving the prestigious national qualifier status.

James Clark who had already achieved the 50m freestyle national qualifying time (NQT) was looking to add to this and did so in the heats of the 100m freestyle. Clark’s 100m breaststroke entry time also made it look likely that he would achieve a further NQT in this event, but was disappointed with a heat swim that fell well short of his previous best. Undeterred, and following some sound technical advice from Chief Coach Louise Clayton, Clark went on to finish the final in a significantly improved time falling just a few tenths short of his target time.

James Clark ~ 50m and 100m freestyle national qualifier

It was a similar story but with a better ending for Jon Audis in the 100m backstroke who