Published: Thursday, 24th April, 2008 10:40am

Carnegie swimmer qualifies for European Junior Championships

Print | Email

FIVE of Carnegie Swimming Club"s performance squad qualified to compete in the British Swimming Championships, incorporating the Olympic Trials, at Ponds Forge, Sheffield, recently.

Eloise Barber (15) swam in the women"s 100m freestyle in a new personal best time of 58.45 seconds, a new East District age group record.

This makes her eligible for selection for a place in the European junior 4 x 100m freestyle relay team, which will compete in Belgrade this summer.

Barber then went on to produce an outstanding result in the 200m individual medley, finishing in 2:20.89, wiping more than two seconds off her entry time and breaking another East District record.

This result gave her the qualifying time for the European Juniors and a place in the B final, where she finished fifth.

Barber also swam in the 50m freestyle and improved on her entry time to finish in 27.46 and gain another East District record.

Ailsa Hershaw, at 14 the youngest member of Carnegie"s qualifiers, had an excellent 100m backstroke producing a new personal best time of 1:07.42, finishing ahead of all the other Scottish girls in her age group and taking the East District 14-year-old record.

Scottish senior squad member Andrew Rodgie (19) showed an excellent return to form by beating his entry time following almost a year out due to injury and surgery.

In the 100m breaststroke, Rodgie shaved almost half a second off his entry time to finish in 1:04.68. Kathryn Johnstone (17) recorded a new personal best in the 100m breaststroke, clocking 1:14.39.

The club produced an outstanding performance at the recent Scottish National Age Group Championships at Tollcross, Glasgow, claiming five Scottish records, 13 East District records and having four swimmers declared Scottish national champions in seven events.

In a meet attended by all the major Scottish clubs and some of the top swimmers from south of the border, Carnegie achieved four gold, seven silver and 9 bronze medals.

In the 15-years age group, Eloise Barber was Scottish champion in the 200m breaststroke, 400m individual medley and 200m individual medley, taking gold in each and bronze in the 100m and 200m free and 100m fly.

Taking gold in the 100m free in 59.82 and silver in the 200m back, 12-year-old Mark Szaranek was Scottish champion in both.

Szaranek had an outstanding meet against very tough opposition, achieving an additional two silver and four bronze medals and setting new Scottish records for 50m and 200m back, together with claiming five new East District records.

There were two Scottish national champions in the 14 years age group.

Blaine Small was the fastest Scot in the 800m free and also took silver in the 400m individual medley and bronze in the 100m fly.

Ailsa Hershaw was fastest Scot in the 200m free, also taking two silver medals in the 100m and 200m backstroke. Kathryn Johnstone (17) took silver in the 100m breaststroke.

Eleven-year-old Craig Bowman broke three Scottish records in the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke and also set five new East District records.

In addition he formed part of the boys relay team along with Mark Szaranek, Blair Hershaw and Myles Hershaw which took three East District records.

In the 14-17 years relays the very young Carnegie team of Eloise Barber, Ailsa Hershaw, Blaine Small and Jennifer Davis performed outstandingly to take three silver medals and with them two East District junior records.