Runnymede Swimming Club

Runnymede Swimming Club has every reason to be proud. This year 2 of their swimmers have done exceptionally well in qualifying to compete in this year’s National Championships’ due to be held in Sheffield later this month. Not only this but a record number of 20 of the Clubs swimmers qualified to the East Region Championships at Norwich with a total 111 qualifying swims. 12 year old Ellie Pirrie who has had a fantastic year has achieved National Qualifying times in 3 events the 100m and 200, Butterfly and the 200m I/M for the second year running. Ellie had some outstanding results this year and at the recent East Region Bagcat Championships in Norwich she won 2 Gold Medals in the 100m and 200m Butterfly followed by a Silver medal in the 400 I/M. She also took 4^th place in the 200m I/M, 10^th in the 800m Freestyle,

15 year old Chloe Davis has had an outstanding year qualifying to swim at this year’s prestige National Championships for the very first time in the 100m and 200m Backstroke events. At the East Region Youth Championships Chloe reached the finals in a total of 5 events having qualified in an outstanding grand total of 14events. Her highest placing was 4^th in the 100 Backstroke followed by a 5^th in 400m I/M, 6^th in the 200m I/M and 7^th in the 100m and 200m Butterfly. She has been selected by the Southend Schools Gifted and Talented programme to work with Excel Performance run by Craig Maddocks and Natasha Grant who are providing valuable mentoring for talented youth athletes in the local area.

The Club and their Coach Grant Williams is delighted and extremely proud of all the swimmers and in particular both of these girls’ achievements; both Chloe and Ellie joined the club at a very young age starting in their swim school, they have worked their way through all the Clubs squads to reach the level at which they are now competing.

Both Chloe and Ellie along with teammate James Winnell were selected to represent Essex at this weekend East Regions Intercounties Gala. They all swam exceptionally helping Essex finish in 3^rd place for the 2^nd year in a row.

5 up and coming youngsters and future stars from the Club qualified to compete in the first ever Regional Championships this year and produced some outstanding results exceeding all expectations for such a young age, none of these whom have ever swam in a 50m pool before! 10 year old Bryon Wood excelled in Breaststroke events winning a Bronze Medal in the 200m and 4^th place in the 100m. He also had a great swim in the 200m I/M reaching the final and finishing in 5^th place. 10 year old Ellie Mitchell competing in a total of 9 events had some excellent swims especially in the 400m Freestyle where she finished in 4^th place just missing out on a Bronze Medal. Ellie was also 8^th in the 400m I/M, 10^th in 200m Freestyle, 11^th in the 100m Breaststroke and 12^th in the 200m Breaststroke. Ebony Talbot had an outstanding swim in the 200m Breaststroke where she secured a place in the final and finished in 6^th place; Ebony also swam well in the 100m Breaststroke event where she was 10^th. Dina Day narrowly m missed our qualifying for the finals in the 100m back finishing in 9^th place. She also had some amazing swims in the 200m back and 200m I/M where she finished in 12^th Place. Sarah Ellis also qualifying to compete in this completion this year for the 1^st time in the 100 and 200m Freestyle and the 100 and 200m Breaststroke events.

Accompanying Chloe at the Youth Championships this year was 16 year old Matthew Winnell who qualified in 10 events; an amazing achievement and great credit must be given to him for all his hard work and determination this year which has brought some excellent results for him. Matthew’s top place in his age group at the Regions competition was 9^th in the 400 I/M and 200m Backstroke events. He also finished 11^th in the 1500m Freestyle and 17^th in the 800m Freestyle events.

Charlotte Davis (17 Years) also had a great championship qualifying in 5 events and reaching the finals in both the 100m and 200m Butterfly events where she finished 5^th and 7^th respectively. Runnymede’s other youth qualifying swimmers were Will Muggleton, Patrick Neary, Ellie-Jade Smith and Roxie Goldfinch who all swam brilliantly in the 50m events that they qualified in.

14 year old James Winnell has also had an outstanding season and he also produced some excellent results and the Regional Championships; he narrowly missed a Bronze medal in the 100m Butterfly final and in the finals of the 100m Freestyle and 20m Butterfly events he finished in 7^th and 8^th place. James other results include 12^th in the 100m and 200m Backstroke and 200m I/M and 16^th in the 200m Freestyle.

Murphy Talbot had some great results in the 12years age group especially in the longer distance events including 6^th place in the 400m I/M, 7^th in the 1500m Freestyle, 9^th in the 200m Breaststroke and 10^th in the 800m freestyle. 12^th in the 200m I/M and 400m Freestyle. Competing in her last year as a junior swimmer 13 year old Melissa Knighton also had some excellent results, qualifying in a total of 6 events Melissa best result of the championships’ was in the 400m I/M event where she finished in 9^th place; She went on to finish in 11^th place in the 200m Breaststroke and 100m Backstroke; 12^th in the 200m Back, 13^th in the 100m Breaststroke and 18^th in the 200m I/M. Annie Garrard finished in 25^th place in the 200m Breaststroke.

Runnymede Swimming Club is an ASA Swim21 Accredited Club which provides an excellent environment in which swimmers can develop the skills at all levels. If you aged 7 years or above and are interested in joining the Club they are holding free trials at Runnymede Pool for new swimmers at 6.30pm on the 10^th July, 7^th August and 4^th September. All new members will qualify for one month’s squad swimming free of charge (Membership and Insurance costs apply). Please contact Club Secretary Heather Davis for further details on 01702 478380 or Heather.Davis@talktalk.net.