Four of our talented young swimming pupils journeyed north to Sheffield to compete in the 29th annual English Schools Swimming Association National Primary School Swimming Championships. The team, comprising both parents and pupils, gathered beforehand and prepared for the battle in the pool. Coach Barry had set a clear goal: to surpass the times achieved at the Regional Championships and secure a top 20 finish.
The event commenced with an uplifting speech from the mayor, paying homage to Chris Young’s three decades of pivotal voluntary contributions to the sport, followed by an invigorating address from Paralympic 200m Individual Medley Gold Medallist, Brock Whiston. Energised, the teams joined in some classic dance tunes, followed by a poolside parade of the teams, and then the quartet swiftly prepared for their first event.
Kezia kicked off the 4 x 25m Freestyle relay, seamlessly passing on to Kiara, then to Angelica, with Jess bringing it home. The girls exceeded all expectations, shaving a remarkable 6 seconds off their qualifying time and clinching the 20th position, climbing two spots in the rankings.
After a brief rest, the team warmed up for the 4 x 25m Medley relay. Jess started with the backstroke, Kiara took on the breaststroke, Angelica powered through the butterfly, and Kezia anchored the finish. This performance saw another impressive achievement as they knocked 4 seconds off their qualifying time, propelling them to 23rd place overall.
Coach Barry remarked, “Coach Karen had been working her magic with technique for all four girls leading into the event, and for all of them, it was their inaugural national competition. Seeing the team spirit and support from the parents was truly inspiring. The girls approached the event with complete togetherness and enjoyed such a huge step up in their times.”
Congratulations, girls, on your brilliant achievements. Junior school Head, Liz Pugh also congratulated the team: ‘Many congratulations to you, Karen and the team. So good to see success and real team spirit. Amazing, thank you so much; the girls will be celebrated in the Year 6 celebration event at the end of term.’
