Ellie books place to Nationals

Ellie Belk, 12, finally secured a National Qualifying Time and a silver medal in the 400 Free after being so close for the past 2 years. A solid opening 200m saw her turn in 2min 25, then really turned on the speed finishing the last 50 in 35.32. Her time of 4.53.37 was a 7 second personal best and only 0.05 inside the National time. Disappointment for her in the 200 free where she missed by 0.8. Her last swim of the weekend was in the 400 Individual Medley where she took an amazing 10 second off her previous best time.

Not to be outdone, elder brother Alex made his 5th National time in the 100 Free. After a slower than normal start he soon picked up and raced to the first turn in 27.58, continuing through to the finish he made a good personal best in 56.90. Other personal bests in 200free, 100back, 50 fly and 50 breaststroke saw solid performances throughout the weekend for him.

Many swimmers edged ever closer to National Qualification. Time is running out for the age groupers, with only one more chance to qualify at Regional Championships over the next two weeks.

James Dawson secured no less than 3 lifetime bests and saw him narrow the gap to only 4 seconds in the 200 Breaststroke and 200 Medley events. Team mate Abi Kerr had a brilliant 200 Breaststroke. In the last 6 months she has dropped nearly 30 seconds off her time. She is now only 3 seconds off a National time after recording another 5 second best in a time of 3.08.90.

Hannah Robertshaw showed her potential by producing a 1min 15 sec swim in the 100 Fly. Her 200 Individual Medley saw her come within 0.18 of her 4th National Time.

Carolyn Haworth showed a good return to form by producing lifetime best swims in the 200 Medley and her 200 Back. She is now only 1.4 off a National time.
Jenna Chatburn achieved the only gold medal of the meet in her No.1 event of 100 breaststroke. Her time of 1.17.42 was only 0.5 off her best time, but her opening 50 was the fastest she has ever produced. With Nationals still 7 weeks away she has plenty of time to enhance her speed in the latter part of the training and must now be targeting a 1min 15 as her goal time.

Luke Maude produced another solid performance in 50 free. His sister, Tierney, swimming her final race for Skipton before starting University in the Autumn finished on a high with a lifetime best time of 30.38 in the 50 Fly.