South East Winter Short Course Championships 2022

South East Winter Short Course Championships 2022

The first major meet of the season saw our top senior swimmers travelling to Winchester to compete in South East Winter Short Couse (SC) Championships. This early in the season it is tough to swim at your best but is an outstanding opportunity to test yourself early on against the best in the South East. Eight athletes representing Woking qualified for the event.

It was a good start to the Woking campaign with Sophie King (16) gaining a Bronze medal to finish with a 33.15 in the 50 breaststroke, only 0.03 away from a Silver medal, showing how every stroke counts at quality events like this. Nathanial Reeves (16), who currently goes to school and trains with Mount Kelly, started his busy weekend with the 100 breaststroke (1.10.67). Fredrick Van der Leest (16) set the example though with the first pb of the weekend with a 0.65 sec pb in his 50 back (29.01). Incredibly close to his first ever sub 29.00 but a great chunk of time off this early in the season. Sophie was back in the pool again with the 200 IM (2.22.14).  A bit off her best though managed to hold her nerves to finish in the top 8. The last event of the session was the gruelling 400 IM with Nat Reeve finishing 13th with a 4.53.23.

The second session kicked off with Tegan Gale (14) in the 100 free. Tegan started with a very strong first 50 but struggled to hold it in the second finishing with a 1.00.31. Fredrick continued his good performance from the 50 back with another pb in the 50 free, hitting 25.00 finishing in the top 20. Sophie continued her busy weekend with a very impressive 200 breaststroke leading from the start with a full body length ahead of her closest rivals at the 100 and 150M mark. Though her rivals set up an impressive comeback, Sophie did enough to hold on to pick up her second medal of the weekend winning joint Gold. Sophie’s success from the weekend has also been rewarded recently with an invitation to represent South East swimming at the Luxemburg Euro Meet, January 27th-29th 2023. An outstanding achievement that all of us at Woking hugely congratulate her on and wish her luck. Feeling inspired by Sophie’s success, Sadie Warmington (15) jumped into her solo event of the weekend with the 50 fly. Swimming a solid 29.96, her first ever sub 30.00.  The 100 IM finished the day off for Woking with Nat Reeve swimming a pb placing himself 4th (1.00.93).

Sunday morning was a little quieter with only 3 swims. Sophie King was back again going into the 100 fly (1.04.17), Tegan stepped up swimming in the 50 back with a great 0.57 second pb (31.46), and Nat Reeve swimming the 200 IM with a 2.15.55 a great 2.74 second pb.

The final session of the weekend started with 3 girls in the 50 free. Tegan and Sophie continued their solid weekend and Rita Luzan (15) swimming in her first short course (SC) regionals. Gaining a SC pb of 28.50. The swim of the day though had to go to Nat reeve on his final race in the 200 breaststroke. Finishing 6th with a personal best by almost 5 sec with a 2.27.91. Sophie King then finished the weekend for Woking with the 100 IM. Finishing with an impressive Silver medal in a time of 1.06.04.

Following Sophie’s Success from the weekend she has been invited to represent South East swimming at the Luxemburg Euro Meet, January 27th-29th 2023. An outstanding achievement that all of us at Woking are hugely proud of.

Results

Session 1:

Girls 50 breast:             Sophie King                                  BRONZE                      33.15

Boys 100 breast:           Nat Reeve                                     16th                             1.10.67

Boys 50 back:                Fredrick Van der Leest                 32nd                             29.01 (PB)

Girls 200 IM:                  Sophie King                                  BRONZE                     2.22.14

Boys 400 IM:                 Nat Reeve                                     13th                             4.53.23

Session 2:

Girls 100 free:               Tegan Gale                                   26th                             1.00.31

Boys 50 free:                 Fredrick Van der Leest                 20th                             25.00 (PB)

Girls 200 breast:           Sophie King                                  GOLD                          2.32.96 (PB)

Girls 50 fly:                   Sadie Warmington                        26th                             29.96 (PB)

                                     Sophie King                                  12th                             29.46

Boys 100 IM:                 Nat Reeve                                     4th                             1.00.93 (PB)

Session 3:

Girls 100 fly:                  Sophie King                                  9th                              1.05.17

Girls 50 back:                Tegan Gale                                   31st                             31.46 (PB)

Boys 200 IM:                 Nat Reeve                                     15th                             2.15.55 (PB)

Session 4:

Girls 50 free:                  Rita Luzan                                     38th                             28.50

                                      Sophie King                                  23rd                             27.66

                                      Tegan Gale                                   22nd                             27.62

Boys 200 breast:           Nat Reeve                                     6th                             2.27.91 (PB)

Girls 100 IM:                  Sophie King                                  SILVER               1.06.04