Sedgefield 75 swimming club’s swimmers were in action during April and May at the Regional Long Course Championships. Clubs from all over the North East and Yorkshire competed in two competitions – the Age Group Championships for 14 years and under, held over two weekends at the Sunderland Aquatic Centre, and the Open / Youth Championships for older swimmers, held over the May Day holiday weekend, at Ponds Forge in Sheffield.
Three swimmers qualified for the Age Groups, Aviana Wilson, Jessica Bell and Filip Wilczynski. Alex Boyer qualified for the Open / Youth.
Alex swam four freestyle events at Sheffield over 100, 200, 400 and 1500m, setting new best times in the 100 and 200m.
Aviana swam six events at Sunderland, 50, 100 and 200m in both backstroke and freestyle. She set a new best of 32.50 seconds at 50m free but her best performances came in 50m backstroke where she beat her best by almost 1.8 seconds in qualifying for the final and then went faster again in the final where she placed 6th.
Jessica entered eight events; 50, 100 and 200m breaststroke, 50 and 100m backstroke and butterfly and 200m individual medley. Out of ten swims, she set eight personal bests including over six seconds improvements in 200 IM and 200 breaststroke and over three seconds in 100m fly. Jessica made finals in 50m breaststroke and in 50m butterfly where she swam a club record for 12-year-old girls in the heat and lowered it further in the final with 33.18.
Filip, coming back from injury, swam six events in the second weekend, 50 and 100m butterfly, 50 and 200m backstroke, 100m freestyle and 200m IM. He made four finals, in the freestyle, 50 and 100m butterfly and 50m back. It was in the 50m events that Filip had the most joy, with PB’s in the heat and final of 50 fly, placing 6th and 50m backstroke where he double-PB’d again with new club records and took home gold.
Alex was back in action in May, but this time in the British Triathlon Youth Super Series competing against the best triathletes nationally. Competing in Llanelli, thanks to his swim training, he had a very strong open water swim, coming out of the water in fourth and then working his way up to finish second. The next round takes place in Scotland next month.
Pictured: Aviana, Alex and Jessica.