City of Sheffield Swim Squad National Age Groups 2009
Day 1 of the National Age Group Championships, Wednesday 22 July 2009, and it was a great start for CoSSS swimmers. Molly Grayson (13) started the medal tally off winning Silver in the 1500m freestyle. In the same event Ellie Pollard finished 10th. Matthew Johnson (14) won Sheffield’s first National Championship title in the 400m freestyle in a British Age Group Record time of 3.59.84. In the girls 100m freestyle Tegan Turner-Clarke (13) won Silver. Matthew Johnson won his second Gold of the Championships in the 200m breaststroke. The boys 4x100m freestyle relay team (Alex Watson, Matthew Johnson, Joe Faulkner and Haydon Thorp) qualified for the final and finished just outside the medals in 4th. Also swimming today were Joe Faulkner (14) & Alex Watson (14) in the 400m freestyle, Molly Grayson (13) in the 200m backstroke and Cian Senior (11) in the 200m breaststroke.
Day 2 and the first medal of the day was Gold along with another British Age Group Record for Matthew Johnson (14) in the 1500m freestyle in 16.06.66. Alex Watson (14) finished 8th and Joe Faulkner finished 20th in the same event. Molly Grayson (13) won the 2nd medal of the day winning Bronze in the 400m freestyle. Ellie Pollard also qualified for the 400m Freestyle final and finished 10th. Matthew Johnson (14) swam in 2 finals this evening winning both and breaking 2 more British Age Group Records, he won the 200m fly in 2.05.08 and the 200m IM in 2.08.19. Tegan Turner-Clarke (13), Sheffield’s third medallist of the day, won Bronze in the 200m fly. Other finalists were Joe Faulkner (14) finishing 9th in the 200m IM and the girls 4x100m freestyle relay team (Molly Grayson, Ellie Pollard, Freya Mitchell and Tegan Turner-Clarke) finished 6th. Also today, Cian Senior (11) swam 200m IM and Freya Mitchell (11) the 400m freestyle.
Day 3 and Molly Grayson (13) won the first medal of the day and it was a Gold one! She became the National Age Group Champion in the 800m freestyle in 9.03.97. In the same event Ellie Pollard (12) finished 6th. Molly’s success continued into the finals where she won the first medal of the evening session, Silver in the 200m freestyle. Matthew Johnson (14) continued his campaign to equal his last years medal tally, 10 Gold’s, by winning his 6th Gold of the Championships in the 200m backstroke in another British Age Group Record breaking time of 2.07.21. In the 100m fly final Tegan Turner-Clarke finished 8th and in the final of the boys 4x200m freestyle relay team (Alex Watson, Mark Huggins, Joe Faulkner & Matthew Johnson) finished 5th. Other swims today were Tegan Turner-Clarke (13), Ellie Pollard (12), Annie Wood (11) and Elizabeth Brook (11) in the 200m freestyle and Freya Mitchell (12) in the 800m freestyle.
Day 4 Matthew Johnson (14) had a busy day! 800m freestyle to start with and it was Gold and another British Age Group Record in 8.18.90. Another Gold and British Record in the 200m freestyle in 1.53.63 and to finish the day a Gold in the 100m breaststroke. Silver was won by the girls 4x200m freestyle relay team (Molly Grayson, Ellie Pollard, Freya Mitchell & Tegan Turner-Clarke) in a nail biting final where it was Bronze until the final touch! In other finals Molly Grayson (13) finished 9th in the 100m backstroke and Cian Senior (11) finished 8th in the 100m breaststroke. Also swimming today were Haydon Thorp (14) in the 100m fly, Freya Mitchell (12) in the 100m backstroke and Alex Watson (14) & Joe Faulkner (14) in the 800m freestyle.
Day 5 was another great day for CoSSS. Matthew Johnson (14) did what he said he would do and won his 10th National Age Group Championship title. He won the 400m IM in tremendous style smashing the British Age Group Record in the process in 4.28.40, previously 4.37.77, in perhaps the most impressive event of the Championships. The boys 4x100m medley team (Alex Watson, Haydon Thorp, Joe Faulkner and Matthew Johnson) qualified for the final and finished in 7th place. Other swimmers competing today were Molly Grayson (13) and Tegan Turner-Clarke (13) in the 200m IM, Cian Senior (11) in the 400m IM, and the girls 4x100m medley relay team (Molly Grayson, Caitlin Humpage, Tegan Turner-Clarke and Ellie Pollard).
This has been a fantastic five days of competition with brilliant results. A special mention to Matthew Johnson who has performed outstandingly. All swimmers who took part should be very proud of themselves , there have been lots of fabulous swims, medals, pbs and plenty of team spirit. Even those who weren’t swimming and came down to support their team mates have played their part.
The team finished 2nd overall with 204 points behind Top Club Plymouth Leander with 331 points and in 3rd was Stockport Metro with 191 points.
Well done swimmers!
| Matthew Johnson powers to victory in the 400IM |  |