NATIONAL SPEEDO LEAGUE FINAL - Ponds Forge, Shefield
23rd April 2006
The sound of ‘Simply the Best’ resounded around Ponds Forge pool at Sheffield as Hatfield Swimming Club were crowned Speedo League Champions for 2006. It was the first time in the history of the Speedo League that a London based club has achieved this feat.
Extract from East Region Website
Hatfield win National Speedo League
23 Apr 2006 21:48
Hatfield SC outswam their rivals at the National Speedo League 'A' Final in Sheffield to claim the title. They finished with 300 points, 4 points ahead of nearest rivals Millfield.
Rachael George won the Top Female award, as well as most improved swim in the Girls 15/U age group. Ricky Jones won the equivalent award in the boys 11/U age group.
Individual event winners were:
Ceri Unwin, Ricky Jones, Ann-louise Knapman, Jonathan Quinn, Brad Neal, Charlotte Claridge, James Sutherland, John Sargent, Rachael George, Alex Rust.
Team event winners were:
Boys 15/U Freestyle Team, Girls 15/U Medley Team
Also competing in the 'A' Final were UEA City of Norwich, who finished 5th with 231 points. Winners for the UEA City of Norwich team were: Chloe Pellican, Claire Barron and the Boys 11/U Freestyle and Medley Teams.
West Suffolk SC competed in the 'B' Final, finishing 5th with 236 points. 2 swimmers won awards for Most Improved Swim in their age group - Chris Walker-Hebborn (15/U Boys) and Alex Harrison (11/U Girls). Event winners were: Victoria Sparrow, Chris Walker-Hebborn, Alex Harrison and the Girls 11/U Freestyle and Medley Teams.
A squad of 36 swimmers travelled too Sheffield for the event hoping to finish better than the fifth placing they had achieved in the previous two years. International swimmers Ceri Unwin and Jonathan Quinn saw the team off to a suburb start with Ceri taking first place in the Ladies Open 200m Individual Medley and Jonathan securing second place behind Commwealth medallist Evan Dale in the Men’s Open 200m Individual Medley, Jonathans time of 2.07.70 saw him set a new British Age Group record.
With strong opposition from Millfield School the whole team had to perform at their very best. There were subsequent wins for the Boys 15/under Freestyle team of Alex Rust, Bobby Cave, Lucas Irving and Jonathan Quinn, Jonathan also took first place in the Boys 15/under 100m Backstroke with team mate Annie Knapman claiming first place in the Girls event. Ricky Jones was in outstanding form, swimming in his first major event for Hatfield he was awarded first place in both the Boys 9-11 years 50m Backstroke and 50m Fly and because of his excellent swims Ricky was awarded by Speedo the title of Best Performing Boy in the Under 11 age group.
James Sutherland, Annie Knapman and John Sargent were all triumphant in their 100m Backstroke events and Brad Neal was placed joint first in the Men’s Open 100m Fly. Ceri Unwin continued from her success in the medley event by also winning the Girls 15/under 100m Fly, at this point Hatfield were eight points clear of nearest rivals Millfield but there was still everything to swim for.
In the second half of the League final International swimmer Rachael George showed her sprinting talent by winning both the Ladies and Girls 15/under 100m Freestyle with Alex Rust taking the Boys 15/under 100m Free. Rachael’s performances in the 100m free events brought her the titles of Best Performance in the Ladies and 15/under Girls. Charlotte Claridge was the only other individual winner being placed first in the Girls 9-11 years 50m Freestyle.
Head coach Nick Juba said “This is a famous victory, Great Swimming, Great Team, a smashing moment for everyone involved with the club. It is great to know we are now at the top of the pile of 400 clubs that took part in the Speedo League this year”. In summary Hatfield swimmers set one new Age Group record, broke 13 East Region records, 7 County records.
With four relay events left to swim Hatfield had still managed to maintain their eight points lead over Millfield, with only one relay win from the Girls 15/under medley team of Annie Knapman, Cara Purvis, Faye Barnard and Rachael George the final score was Millfield 296 points and Hatfield 300 points.
