Press Report on the National Speedo League Finals – Enfield 11th December 2004
Runnymede Swimming Club are heading for Division 1 next year after only one season back in the National Speedo League. The Club won promotion to the London Area top division at the league finals, which involved the top 8 teams from the 24 clubs in Division 2. Runnymede were lying in 5th position going into the finals, just outside the promotion places, but a magnificent effort by the squad gave them 4th position in the Final, and gave them enough points to take the overall 4th place in the league to guarantee automatic promotion. A spate of illnesses and injuries in the squad had threatened to undermine the Club’s efforts, but it is a measure of the strength within club that their replacements could step in and perform without affecting the outcome.
The Club won 10 out 50 races in the Final, which gave them a solid foundation to build a good points total of 227. Aaron Eveleigh produced two of the winning performances in the boys 15yr/under 100m Butterfly and 100m Freestyle and helped secure many more points throughout the meet with swims in the Relay events. Matt Scott put in a classy performance when winning the 13yr/under 100m Butterfly race.
Rebecca Collins had a good debut swim in the Speedo League, when she joined the Girls 13yr/under 4x50m Freestyle Relay squad of Charlie Beale, Georgina Hunt and Charlotte Delicata, to notch up her first win at this level of competition. Also making his debut in the Speedo League was 9 year-old Henry Newton, who joined brother Blue Newton and team-mates Alex Delicata and George Smith in the 9/11yr Relay squad in winning the 4x50m Medley Relay, and take 2nd in the 4x50m Freestyle Relay races. George also came in 1st in the 50m Butterfly, with Alex and Blue adding 2nd place points for the 50m Backstroke and Freestyle events respectively.
In the Girls 13yr/under individual races, Samantha Knight convincingly won the 100m Breaststroke event, and also added another 6 points for 3rd in the 100m Breaststroke in 15yr/under age group. Charlotte Delicata helped contribute 26 points to the total during the evenings races, with her best swim coming in the 13yr/under 100m Backstroke event for a hard fought 1st place. Also working hard for the team was Charlotte Davis, who won the 13yr/under, and came 3rd in the 15yr/under 100m Butterfly events, in addition to her 1st place in the 4x50m Medley Relay race with squad members Sarah Wright, Georgina Hunt and Charlie Beale.
Head Coach Paul Eveleigh was extremely pleased with the overall team performance adding that "It wasn't just those swimmers who came in the top 3 who should be applauded, it was a tremendous team effort. The whole squad have done better than anyone predicted during this season, and we can now look forward to battling with the top clubs in 2005."
Runnymede Swimming Club is currently looking to recruit experienced and novice swimmers to strengthen its existing squads for next season. Anyone interested in joining this up and coming Club should telephone Head Coach Paul Eveleigh on 01268 759043.