Warriors shine at show (From Dorset Echo)

Warriors shine at show

9:01am Wednesday 8th February 2012 in Youth Sport By Echo Reporter

WEST Dorset Warriors enjoyed a successful annual club championships at the Thomas Hardye Leisure Centre, Dorchester.

In the under-10 competition, Erin Gowers and George Kelman-Johns showed their versatility across different strokes to collectively pick up 11 trophies between them.

Gowers and Kelman-Johns both won the 100m and 200m freestyle, 100m and 200m breaststroke and the 50m butterfly, with the latter also claiming the 100m individual medley.

They were challenged all the way and the 100m and 200m backstroke were to allude both swimmers, being beaten in both events by their colleagues Ollie Fairman and Erin Lee, with the latter using her strength in the backstroke to also win the 100m individual medley.

Kelman-Johns also collected the most improved boy swimmer trophy in recognition of his improvement across all strokes over the last 12 months.

Cameron Robinson, eight, picked up the effort cup for the young swimmer who puts in most effort and improvement during the year.

The 11 and 12-year-old category proved to be highly competitive with, again the girls’ section attracting the most competitors.

Beth Guy used her strength and technique in the breaststroke to great advantage in winning the 100m and 200m races and recorded a hat-trick in the 100m, 200m and 400m individual medley, and also went on to win the 100m freestyle.

Amber Cornick took the 400m and 800m freestyle together with her more favoured 100m and 200m backstroke and 100m butterfly.

Flora Johnson has had a very successful year in improving her times and was rewarded with a great swim to win the 200m freestyle and was recognised for her hard work with the club’s annual trophy for club person of the year.

For all her hard work in improving her personal best times over the last 12 months, Lauren Oddy received the trophy for most improved girl and Megan Clark was handed the endeavour shield for effort and determination throughout the year.

For the boys, Harry Buttle collected nine trophies, most impressively including his first competitive swim in the 1,500m freestyle together with the 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle.

Buttle’s haul was made up by a brace in the 100m and 200m breaststroke and backstroke and a win in the 100m individual medley.

James McKendry showed his technique to win the specialist 50m and 100m butterfly stroke.

The 13 and 14-year-old category showed the dominance of two swimmers with club vice-captain Amie Buttle repeating her feat of last year by winning all 14 races across all four strokes from 100m to 800m, including a hat-trick in the 100m, 200m and 400m individual medley.

For the boys, Charlie Hitchcock won all 13 of his races, to confirm his consistency, having led the way by winning four races for the Warriors in the National Arena League.

Stalwart Katy Robinson claimed six races in the 15 to 16 girls including a double in the 100m and 200m breaststroke, a hat-trick in 100m, 200m, 400m individual medley and a first in the 800m freestyle.

Also in the mix, with six titles, was Laura Chitty, winning a treble of doubles in 100m and 200m butterfly, backstroke and freestyle respectively.

Repeating last year’s close race, in the boys’ 15 to 16 years, Aaron Fryer and Ryan Knott could not be separated in the 100m individual medley and shared the trophy having finished in a dead heat.

Knott took six other races including two braces in 50m and 100m butterfly and freestyle, as well as adding 200m individual medley and 200m breaststroke to his trophies.

Fryer went on to win the 100m breaststroke and 200m backstroke, while Guy Buttle completed a solid year’s swimming by bagging the 100m backstroke and 400m freestyle. In the senior section, club vice-captain Tom Cooper showed good stamina to win a hat-trick of doubles in the 100m and 200m butterfly, 400m and 1500m freestyle, 200m and 400m individual medley plus the 200m backstroke and breaststroke.

Over the 100m distance, Jordan Trewartha notched a brace in the freestyle and backstroke plus 50m butterfly and 100m individual medley and Adam Gough won the 100m breaststroke.

For the girls, Keziah Element picked up nine titles, including doubles in the 100m and 200m backstroke and butterfly, a hat-trick across the 100m, 200m and 400m individual medley and wins in the 100m freestyle and the 50m butterfly.

Rachel Foad collected a brace of trophies in the 200m and 400m freestyle.