On the third day of the Championships, Stockport Metro’s competitors were:
Jake Clappison (100 fr), Ciaran Beard-Jones (100 fr), Megan Sheard (400 fr, 200 IM), Ellie Molyneux (400 fr), Ciara Standing (50 bk), Ben Foster (200 IM), Oliver Crosby (200 IM), Amy West (200 IM), Rebecca Pearson (200 IM), Alisha Hawkins (200 IM), Hannah Jones (200 IM)
Heats
First up was Jake clappison in the boys 100 freestyle. From lane 9 and entry time and PB of 55.33 Jake looked strong in the first 50 turning in 26.06, he managed to maintain his position in the second 50 to touch in a time of 54.42, recording a pb and also good enough for a final spot qualifying as 3rd fastest…great swim Jake
Next on the blocks was Ciaran Beard jones. Entry time and PB of 52.69. Again another strong swim by Ciaran who finished 2nd in the heat in a PB of 52.08. Ciaran qualifies as 3rd fastest into tonight’s final.
Competitors in the 400 free for girls were Ellie Molineux and Megan Sheard who were together in the same heat. With similar entry times and PB’s it was set up for an interesting battle. Megan set off really strongly building up a 3 sec lead after 200m. Ellie not far behind and closing in after 300 mgy. Megan held on to win the heat in a time of 4.32.12 with Ellie touching 2nd 4.34.77. Both girls recoded PB’s and have a lane in tonight’s finals.
Next event was the girls 50 back with SM’s sole representative Ciara Standing going in the penultimate heat in lane 3. From an entry time of 31.24 Ciara looked powerful and hit the wall in a new PB of 31.12 which gets her a lane into tonight’s final.
Metro competitors in the 200IM were Ben Foster and Oliver Crosby. Oli fresh from his success in the breastroke (2 golds) was hoping to make it 3 podium positions.
Ben was first up, his entry time and PB was 2.23.67. Ben worked his way through the field to touch in 3rd place recording a 2 sec pb of 2:22.07. The time good enough for a place in tonight’s final as 8th fastest qualifier.
Oli swimming in the final heat from lane 2 again looked very strong in a solid swim posting a time of 2:12.48, another pb for Oli and a lane in the final qualifying 4th fastest
Event 310 girls 200IM was the next event with Amy West first to compete for SM. Heat 3 lane 6 Amy looked very strong in all strokes to post a solid time just outside of her pb of 2:31.77.
Heat 4 saw Rebecca Pearson and Alisha Hawkins up against each other. Alisha looking strong throughout smashing her entry time and pb touching in 2:25.79. Rebecca time of 2:30.25 was just outside her PB.
Megan Sheard up next in lane 5, led her heat from start to finish in an impressive heat in a time of 2:25.63, a pb by some 4 seconds.
Hannah Jones brought the morning’s heat to a close with an impressive swim hitting the wall 2nd in a time just outside her pb of 2:24.03. A time which puts her 6th fastest into tonight’s final.
Finals
So tonight’s entertainment has lots of SM involvement. Ciara Standing was first up having qualified 6th fastest for the 50 back 17yrs and over final. With a brilliant start Ciara stormed to the Gold medal knocking a second of her time this morning touching in an improved pb 30.16.
Jake Clappison fresh from his PB in the morning swim was next in. From lane 3 he went off strong turning 2nd after the first 50, he maintained his position and hit the wall in a new pb of 53.82 and claiming a well-deserved silver medal.
Ciaran Beard jones in the 18 and over category took to the blocks as 3rd fastest. From lane 3 in a real close heat Ciaran touched in 4th place in a new Pb of 52.00 just outside the medals
Megan Sheard and Ellie Molineux flying the metro flag were up next in the 400 free for 15 year Girls. Megan led from start to finish in a dominant swim touching 4:29.06 , a new pb and gold winning swim. Ellie had a solid swim and finished in a creditable 4:34.03 recording her second pb in the day. Great swimming girls.
The 2 IM Men’s qualifiers Ben Foster and Oliver Crosby were both hopeful to push on from there morning pb swims. Ben swimming in the 13/14 years age group matched his heat time to finish in 8th place. Oli Crosby made it a hat trick of Golds this week with an excellent swim, coming from down in the field after the first 100 he stormed back in the breaststroke leg turning 2nd into the last 50,now with the momentum he touched first in a new pb of 2:09.
Rebecca Pearson was next on the blocks in the 14 year age group. In a solid swim Rebecca finished just outside a podium position in a time of 2:27.65. Rebecca’s time was a 2 sec pb…great swim.
Megan and Alisha we in lanes 4 and 5 in the 15 years age group final. In a close race Megan stormed her way to her second gold of the night in a time of 2:24.14 Alisha not far behind touched in 2:24.60 for the silver medal. Both girls achieved new pb’s……great swim girls
Hannah Jones closed the final night for SM in the last event of the night. From lane 7 Hannah touched outside of the medals in a new pb time of 2:23.35.
So day 3 finals come to an end with SM’s haul consisting of 4 gold 2 silver and a hatful of pb’s.