Four members of South Lincs Competitive Swimming Club showed another glimpse of their talent at the ASA Midland Short Course Championships in Nottingham over the weekend.
Luke Elliott, William Swain, Calvin Wilson and Cheryl Wilson travelled with head coach Callum Lawson to the new Harvey Haddon facility – and it served as a wonderful venue.
The racing kicked off for South Lincs with Swain (15 years old) contesting the men’s 200m freestyle. He broke the mystical two-minute barrier in style, setting a new personal best.
From an entry time of 2.00.05mins, Swain showed improving skills around the walls and held impeccable pacing skills throughout the race to clock 1.58.82mins and take fourth place in the 15 years and under group.
Later in the morning was the men’s 100m breaststroke, 400m IM and the 50m backstroke.
Calvin Wilson (16) and Elliott (16) contested these events, with Wilson outside PB pace in both his 100m breast and 400m IM events. Elliott was also just outside PB pace in the same events.
Elliott then brought the morning session to a close with a bang as he recorded a PB of 27.6secs to take the 50m backstroke win in a gutsy swim at the end of a long morning session.
Saturday afternoon delivered more of the same, with Swain recording 54.5secs in the 100m free to take fourth and set another PB.
Wilson again narrowly missed out on his best time in the men’s 200m breaststroke.
Elliott was also back in fine form to clock another PB in the men’s 50m butterfly (27.56secs), before delivering a mature showing in the 1,500m freestyle.
Sunday morning saw Swain and Elliott were just off PB pace in their 400m freestyle, with Swain fourth again.
Also in action was Cheryl Wilson (21), who produced a season’s best in the 50m backstroke.
The afternoon brought drama and excitement, as Swain’s 50m freestyle time of 25.16secs was another PB and inside the national standard – meaning he’ll join Elliott at Nationals in December.
Swain then recorded a third PB of the weekend in the 100m IM (1.05.15mins), while Cheryl Wilson’s 50m butterfly effort was also a PB.
Last up in the final event of the day was Elliott in the 200m backstroke. Once again he bagged a PB – with his time of 2.07.56mins good enough for tenth.
He did, however, just miss out on the finals.
Delighted coach Lawson said: “The weekend was a huge success. To race here fatigued at the end of a hard training block and deliver fast swims with the core skills that we require of our athletes is fantastic.
“The fact that they can deliver these skills under pressure and when fatigued is testament to the hard work that they have put in at the pool over the last ten weeks.”
