Team Tigersharks Triumph!

Tigersharks swimmers rounded off a fantastic Wiltshire competition this weekend. Tigershark swimmers recorded more Age Group best times than any other club and were also awarded the Top Team trophy of the competition.

Following on from their older team mates the younger sharks were determined to land the top team trophy and they did this in style breezing to victory in all four of the BagCat relay events. The boys team of James Magness, Alex Jones, Dean Williamson and Matthew Jones were outstanding winning both the medley and freestyle relays in record breaking times and the girls team of Siobhan Tierney, Alissa Johnson, Hayley Towner, Sophie Hawkins and Lauren Jones were untroubled as they cruised to victory in both of their relays. Added to the record breaking swims in the youth competition Tigersharks were placed easily the top team.

Tigersharks younger swimmers continued to delight with outstanding swims coming from all age groups.

In the youngest age group 9 years, Alice Gingell was in outstanding form to breeze to victory in the 200m Breaststroke easily inside her first District Qualifying time for 2006. This added to a 1st in the 50m Breaststroke, 3rd place in the 200m Individual Medley, 200m Frontcrawl and 100m Individual Medley was easily enough to secure 2nd place overall in the BagCat category. Daniel Watt had an outstanding weekend. Although quite ill with a nasty cold he still managed to secure 5th place overall with completing his last category swim in the individual medley events and Madison Wheeler snatched great bronze medals in the 50m and 200m Backstroke.

In the 10 years age group the girls were in astonishing form. Briony Merrit produced an outstanding swim the 200m Backstroke to record a 12 year old district time of 2:44.08 leaving her very close to the 11 year old National time. Her time also shattered the previous age group best time. She also took gold in the 50m Backstroke, 400m Frontcrawl, 400m & 200m Individual Medley and 200m Butterfly. With Silver medals in the 100m Individual Medley, 200m Frontcrawl and bronze in the 50m Frontcrawl this was enough to secure her 2 nd place overall just behind a swimmer who will be 11 in a few weeks. Sophie Roberts and Rachel Waine were also in formidable form. Sophie clocked 2 nd place in the 200m Backstroke, 400m Frontcrawl, 50m Frontcrawl and 50m Butterfly. With 3rd place in the 200m Frontcrawl, 200m and 100m Individual Medley she easily took 3rd place overall in the competition and produced District Qualifying times in all of the events.

Fast improving Rachel Waine thrilled her coach as she snatched 3rd place in the 200m Backstroke and 200m Butterfly and clocked District Qualifying times in the 200m Backstroke, Frontcrawl and Individual Medley. Also in the 400m Individual Medley and 400m Frontcrawl. Her swims were enough to give her 4th place in the overall BagCat event. Michaela Boniface has promised to be an outstanding Breaststroke swimmer and she did not disappoint. In the 200m event she stormed through the field to record a time 14 seconds inside the District Qualifying time for 2006. In the boys competition Kane Baker was on top form with wins in the 200m and 400m Frontcrawl, 50m & 200m Backstroke, 100m, 200m and 400m Individual Medley with second place in the 50m Frontcrawl, 50m & 200m Butterfly this was his ticket to second place in the overall BagCat competition.

The 11-year old age group was also very strong for the Sharks. Rosemary Broad was in phenomenal form winning the 100m, 200m, 400m Frontcrawl, 100m, 200m Butterfly, 100m, 200m, 400m Individual Medley and taking medals in all other events she swam in. This placed Rosie easily first in the overall BagCat competition by nearly 200 points. With swims in the 200m Butterfly, 200m & 400m Frontcrawl and 400m Individual Medley just off her National Qualifying times Rosie can look forward to a very busy year. Teammate Lauren Jones also had an outstanding competition. Just missing her first National Qualifying time in the 200m Frontcrawl, Lauren went from strength to strength also securing medals in every event she swam in. Lauren took Gold in the 50m, 100m and 200m Breaststroke and was placed 3rd overall in the BagCat Competition.

A return to form Eleanor Hussey also edged closer to her first National Qualifying time in the 200m and 400m Frontcrawl. Eleanor took silver in the 200m Butterfly, Bronze in the 50m, 100m Butterfly & 100m Individual Medley. This gave Eleanor the overall 5 th place in what was a fantastic competition for her. The Boys were also out to impress in the 11-year age group. Joshua Wheeler was an easy victor in the 50m, 200m, 400m Frontcrawl & 200m Backstroke as he took Gold. Silver in the 50m Frontcrawl, 400m Individual Medley, 50m Backstroke and Bronze in the 200m Butterfly and 200m Individual Medley. This outstanding performance rewarded Joshua with 3rd place overall in the BagCat category. Jason Butt was also in great form when he narrowly missed his 200m, 400m Frontcrawl and 400m Individual Medley National times but was rewarded with medals in all of these events. Jason also snatched medal placing's in the 200m Backstroke, 100m Individual Medley and 50m Frontcrawl and was awarded the 5 th place in the overall BagCat Category.

In the 12 years age Group Ciaran Alstowe who has turned 12 during the competition proved his worth as he powered to 6th place overall in the BagCat category. Ciaran also snatched a fabulous bronze medal in the arduous 400m individual medley.

The girls 13-year-old competition saw four girls fighting for the top spot – two Tigersharks were in the mix. Sophie Hawkins was in unbelievable form. Sophie took gold in the 50m Breast, 200m Individual Medley and 400m Individual Medley. In the 400m Individual Medley Sophie produce a personal best time of 12 seconds to take not only gold but her second National Qualifying time for 2006 to go along with her 100m Frontcrawl she achieved the previous weekend. Sophie also just missed out on her 3 rd NQT in the 200m Frontcrawl. With silver medals in the 200m Frontcrawl, Backstroke and 50m Free and despite missing the final day of competition Sophie still took 2nd place overall in the BagCat competition. Hayley Towner has improved dramatically this year and was locked in a fierce battle for 3rd & 4th place. Hayley took the field by storm in the 50m, 100m & 200m Butterfly to take gold and snatched medals in the 200m Backstroke, 200m & 400m Individual medley and 50m Frontcrawl. Hayley's fantastic efforts saw her having to settle for 4 th place overall missing out on the 3 rd spot by just 6 points, but very satisfied with a fantastic competition. 13 year old Matthew Jones was determined to win the overall category this year and he did this with outstanding performances from the outset. Matthew took gold in the 100m Frontcrawl, 50m, 100m & 200m Backstroke, 100m & 200m Individual Medley and medal placing's in the 200m & 400m frontcrawl and 400m Individual Medley to take overall first place by a clear 75 points.

Tigersharks swimmers dominated the 14-year old boy's competition. Alex Jones was crowned overall BagCat winner after a fantastic three days of competition. Alex took gold in the 50m, 100m, 200m & 400m Frontcrawl, 200m & 400m Individual Medley and 200m Backstroke all in National Qualifying times. His most satisfying swim was in the 400m Frontcrawl and 400m Individual medley where he smashed both Age Group best times in 4:13 and 4:47 respectively.

Teammate Dean Williamson cruised to his 2nd National Qualifying time and another Age group best time in the 100m Butterfly to go with his 200m NQT he achieved in the Youth competition. Williamson also took gold in the 100m, 200m Breaststroke, 50m 100m & 200m Butterfly and 100m Individual Medley which was also an age group best time. James Magness has stormed through the ranks on the backstroke events and smashed his previous best times to put himself within a whisker of both his 100m and 200m National qualifying times. James took first in the 100m Backstroke and 2nd in the 200m Backstroke. All three boys made sure it was a Tigershark at the top every event with the exception of one race. The boys made it a 1,2,3 in the overall BagCat event with Jones in 1st , Williamson in 2nd and Magness in 3rd for the clean sweep.

Coach's Leffers, Williamson and Johnstone were thrilled with the swimmer's performance and look forward to a great year ahead. The following swimmers broke Age Group Best times this year:-