City of Leeds National Qualifying Meet
The City of Leeds swimming club held their National Qualifying meet Championships on the weekend of 9th and 10th April. Many swimmers came away with PB’s, North East times and Matthew Sotheran achieved another National Qualifying time. The event is contested in heats and the top 10 in each age group go through to the finals.
Once again Matthew Sotheran (14) was in scintillating form claiming Gold in the 100 Fly where he achieved his National time for this event and followed this up with a Silver medal in the 400IM, 4th in the 200Im and 6th in the 100 Backstroke. Fourteen year-old Breaststroke specialist Nicole Clarke had a fantastic weekend claiming Silver medals in the 100 and 200 Breaststroke and also finishing 8th in the 100 Freestyle. George Russell (13) was once again in outstanding form gaining Silver and Bronze in the 200 and 100 Fly respectively and also finishing 5th in the 200 Freestyle. Jessica Bushby (14) claimed Silver in the 200 Fly and snatched Bronze in the 400 Freestyle in an extremely close finish, then rounded off the weekend with 7th position in the 100 Freestyle. Eleven year-old Ben Cliff reached a very impressive six finals finishing 7th in the 100 and 200 Freestyle, 6th in the 100 Backstroke, 5th in the 100 Breaststroke, 4th in and 200IM and gaining the Silver medal in the 200 Breaststroke in the most exciting and closest race of the entire meet. Fly specialist Holly Sotheran (12) won Bronze in the 200 Fly, 4th in the 100 Fly and 5th in the 200IM, also twelve Alice Aucott claimed the Bronze medal in the 200 Breaststroke, was 4th in the 100 Breaststroke and 9th in the 200IM. In a very competitive 14 year-old girls age group Bethany Woodcock claimed the Bronze medal in the 200 Freestyle, 6th in the 400 Freestyle and 5th in the 100 Freestyle just missing out on her North East time by 15 hundredths of a second in a very gutsy and valiant attempt. Emily Shone (14) gained the bronze in the 100 Backstroke was 4th in the 100 Fly and 6th in the 200 freestyle, also 14 Shannon Eades was 4th in the 400 Freestyle, 5th in the 100 Backstroke and 200 Freestyle. Abbie Hull (13) finished 5th in the 200 Backstroke as did Rotherham’s youngest competitor Rebecca Durn who also claimed 7th in the 100 Backstroke. Josh Hillman (12) finished 6th in the 100 Backstroke and 9th in the 200 Backstroke with Connor Neal also 12 finishing 10th in the 100 Freestyle.
Other swimmers competing were Rebecca Britten (13), Laura Gilliott (14).