London’s disability swimming squad achieved its highest ever finish at the National Junior Championships last weekend when the team was placed fifth. Eastern region won the team title with a much larger team, holding off Scotland, East Midlands and North West.

 

All of the 12 London swimmers finished the weekend with at least one medal. The team won 24 golds between them and set 42 new personal best times. Amy Marren of Havering SC was the most successful swimmer winning six events in S10 and taking three silvers. She also smashed her personal best in 400m freestyle by 21 seconds.

 

Jerry-Ray Pearce of Hackney, swimming in the competition for the first time, won four golds in S5 while Matthew Whyman (Waltham Forest) won three golds, two bronzes, and two silvers in the relays. Siblings Scott and Leanne Harvey of Enfield SC who joined the squad last year won three golds each.

 

Jessica Harper (Chelsea & Westminster) and Leonie Buck (GBM) faced stiff competition in the S9 class with two British international swimmers winning eight of the individual events. Jessica finished second in 50m butterfly and 400m freestyle, and third in 100m butterfly and the other two freestyle events.  She set new personal best times in all six of her races. Leonie won two golds in the 50m and 100m breaststroke and took three seconds off her personal best in 50m race.

 

Oscar Livesey (Greenwich) won two golds in 50m and 100m breaststroke in SB9 while Sheik Sheik (NewhamYBrits) won gold in the shorter distance in SB5. James Naidoo of Cheam Marcuda won two silvers in the men’s relays, while teammate Thomas Urry took silver in S7 50m backstroke. Callum Prout (Sharks) took bronze in S8 100m breaststroke.

 

The team won four silvers in relay races – finishing second in the men and women’s 400m medley races and both 400m freestyle relays

 

Team manager Nick Ibrahim was delighted with the team’s performance. “It’s a fabulous result to finish fifth given we had the smallest team of the top six regions. Everyone is swimming better than they were in the short course championships in November, so they really deserved their medals and PBs. Now the challenge is to find some more swimmers and make a bid for the top three regions.”

 

 

 

 

 

The team won four silvers in relay races – finishing second in the men and women’s 400m medley races and both 400m freestyle relays

 

Team manager Nick Ibrahim was delighted with the team’s performance.  “It’s a fabulous result to finish fifth given we had the smallest team of the top six regions.  Everyone is swimming better than they were in the short course championships in November, so they really deserved their medals and PBs. Now the challenge is to find some more swimmers and make a bid for the top three regions.”