Wiltshire Records Tumble for Sx3 Youths at National Champs

A team of eight Sx3 swimmers headed north last week to Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, Sheffield for the 2008 ASA National Youth Championships and produced some admirable long course racing culminating in five final appearances.

Tilly Gray was on top form reaching the final and finishing seventh in the 200m butterfly on the opening day and on Thursday went on to break her own Wiltshire County record in the semi-final of the shorter 100m butterfly event in a time of 1:05.37. Not to be outdone, Dean Williamson also reached the final in the 200m butterfly, smashing the county record in the process while finishing sixth in a time of 2:07.52. He also achieved a fine personal best performance in the 400m freestyle before illness brought about a premature end to his campaign.

Sx3 were well represented across all distances in the girls’ freestyle events with Sophie Hawkins and Mel Agius competing strongly over the 5 days of competition. Breaststroke specialist, Elizabeth Beckett, also very swam well in the 200m & 800m freestyle and 100m breaststroke events but her best swim came in the 200m breaststroke which saw her qualify for her first national final, finishing in sixth place. Agius, Hawkins and Beckett were joined by Gray in the 4x100m and 4x200m freestyle relays heats and swam impressively against the country’s elite.

Other notable swims came from James Magness who secured a stirring personal best in the 200m backstroke and Alex Jones who had a personal best performance in the same event. Jones also made finals in both the 200m freestyle & 400m individual medley, recording a marvelous personal best time of 1:56.26 in the 200m freestyle coming home seventh.