N&Ds 2020 weekend 1
07 Feb 2020
The first weekend of the Northumberland & Durham County Championships at the Sunderland Aquatic Centre saw Tynemouth swimmers win no less than 14 gold, 10 silver and five bronze medals, plus break five club records, with many other top-10 finishes and pbs achieved
Swimmers in the 11 years age group managed to win 11 of those medals, with Erin Jones becoming the new county champion in both the 50 and 100 fly, and the 200IM, and taking home four silver medals.
In the same age group, Oscar Makepeace became county champion in the 200 breast and won another silver, while Owen Brown secured two bronze medals. Ona Gallagher and Emily Jackson both bagged two top-five finishes apiece, while Joey Lau finished in the top 10 twice and Daniel Payton once.
For the 12-year-olds, Niamh Savory won five county titles, in the 50 and 100 fly, 50 breast (setting a new club record), 200 back and 200 IM, plus won two silvers.
Jamie Beach (12) became a double county champion by winning the 50 and 100 fly, plus secured two other top-10 finishes, while both Ruby Dann and Jasper Hall managed top-10 places twice and Hannah Gauld one. Also representing Tynemouth were Jai Diddee and Sam Morton.
The 13 years age group saw two county champions for 200 breast, Jack Kelso (breaking a 19-year club record) and Katie Coventry, with the latter also winning bronze in the 50 breast. Jack also secured three other top-10 finishes, and Ava Perkins bagged one. Also there for Tynemouth were Katie Adams, Thomas Connell, Max Harris and Isobel Munnoch.
There were more silver medals in the 14 years age group, for Lauren Heppell in the 400 free and Maddie Wilson in the 200 breast, both also securing two more top-10 finishes apiece. There were also two bronzes, Arianna Stokes winning one with a new club record in the 50 fly, plus another top-10 place, the other bronze going to Emily Hedley in the 200 back along with two more top-10 finishes.
Elsewhere in the same age group, Eva Clapperton secured a top-10 place while also representing Tynemouth were Matthew Chandler, Benjamyn Hartridge, Bethany Heron, Eve Rudd, Matt Stewart and George Watson.
In the 15 years age group, Katie Stobbs took four top-10 places and Kathryn Bell secured another three, while also there in Tynemouth colours were Lottie Christopher and Myles Harding.
Lucy Hedley set not one but two new club records in the 16 years age group, the 400 free record helping her become county champion. That record had been set by team-mate Ella Took in an earlier heat on her way to fourth place. Lucy also set a new record in the 100 free to finish fourth.
Neave Abbey [16] also secured a top-10 finish, while others the same age representing the club were Jack Ashurst, Abigail Charlton, James Hayes and Amy Heron, plus 17-year-olds Leonie Aldridge, Luke Baker and Milly Bradley, and Erin Purdy (18).
