Tigersharks mix it with the best at Olympic Trials

Tigershark swimmers were on top form at the recent British Championships and Olympic Trials. Qualification is tough for this event and the competition is the very best in the country, but all three Tigersharks swimmers produce fantastic swims over the seven-day event.

Dean Williamson (16) continued on from his success at last years National Age Groups to produce four massive personal best times in the 200m & 400m FC and the 100m & 200m Butterfly. All four times were a long way inside the National Qualifying times for the National Youth Competition in August. They were also qualifying times for the National Championships in July. Williamson also broke the 100m Butterfly Club Record which has been held by Greg Tanner since 1996 when he recorded a long course time of 59.14, he also re-broke his 200m Butterfly Club Record that he set in November when he swam to a time of 2:10.88.

His 200m FC time was 1:58.80 and his 400m FC time was 4:14.97

Sophie Hawkins had qualified at the 100m FC with a time of 1:00.13. Hawkins was hoping to follow suit from the recent Wiltshire Age Groups, where she recorded a SC time of 59.15, and go under a minute for the first time at a long course event. This was not to be, however she produced another great LC time of 1:00.83 which is well inside her National Youth qualifying time. Sophie has already qualified for three events at the National Youth Competition and at only 15 years old has also qualified for two events at the national Championships in July.

Jazmin Carlin who was competing for Swansea Performance did not start her week as perhaps she would have wanted to. However she certainly finished with a bang! Her 400m and 800m FC swims were steady swims but by her own admission not what she was hoping for. Jazz is not the kind of swimmer to get down about how she competes and in her final event the 200m FC she was in absolutely blistering form as she cruised to a time of 2:00.67 booking herself a place in the A final at the Olympic Trials! At only 17 years of age this was a phenomenal swim and she certainly had her Swansea Coach and her Tigershark team-mates and Coach very excited in the balcony.  Jazz went on to finish 8th in the country mixing it well with the very best.

Ex Tigershark Grant Turner who has just returned from four years at the Gold Coast and now swimming for Loughborough University was also making the very best of all of his hard work. Grant started as he meant to go on with a massive PB in what he sees as his worst event the 400m FC. Turner dipped under the 4 minute barrier for the first time as he recorded a time of 3:58.64

Turner continued to impress his new coaches and training partners as set new PB times in the 50m FC 23.11 200m FC 1:49.98 and 100m FC 49.81 a fantastic week of swimming for him.

This was a fantastic event, which produced some fabulous swimming and was an outstanding week for Tigershark Swimmers. Tigersharks are back down to earth and back into their training in preparation for the ASA South West Regional Competition in May.