Magnificent Medal Haul for COSC
at British Swimming Summer Championships
[Medal winner Nicholas Skelton, 14, and team mate Daniel Jenkins, 16]
Tensions mounted and excitement grew at the British Summer National Swimming Championships in Ponds Forge, Sheffield on 25-30 July. City of Oxford Swimming Club surpassed previous achievements with a remarkable 24 of its swimmers participating in a wide range of events. The Championships enables the top 24 swimmers from across Britain in each age category to compete in all fields over five days of nail-biting and gruelling racing. This year a phenomenal 8 medals were taken by the club, once again placing COSC firmly on the national swimming map.
Nicholas Skelton (14) produced a stunning medal hat-trick in the men’s backstroke events. Some great underwater and superb racing tactics gained him a silver medal in both the 50m and 100m distances in 28.51 and 1.00.70 respectfully, both superb personal best times. His crowning glory was the tense and exciting chase down for gold medal position in the 200m in a personal best time of 2.11.37. In addition, Nicholas also finalled in the 200 IM finishing 8th and gaining a new club record time of 2.17.05 (14 year old age).
The men’s breaststroke events saw Callum Smart storm into the finals of all three breaststroke distances, clinching the gold medal in the 200m in 2.17.94. In addition, he narrowly missed the bronze position in the 50m with a time of 29.41. This was made all the more impressive as Callum is currently in the middle of a gruelling training schedule before he represents Great Britain at the Junior World Championship in August – and is at the younger end of the 17/18 age group.
Team mate, Toby MacKay-Champion thundered down the field in the final of the men’s open 200 breast in a stunning personal best time of 2.12.91, a further 2 second improvement on his heat PB, to claim the bronze medal and a new county record. Likewise, David Murphy, also in the men’s open category, improved on his personal best with an impressive time in the 100m in a time of 1.01.32 – also gaining him a bronze medal and a new county record. David also qualified for the final of the 50m, in which he finished 8th in 28.37 seconds – as well as the 200m, finishing 5th in 2.14.89.
Billy Wotton (14) swam an impressive and brave race in the 200m in a personal best time of 2.27.43, earning him a Silver medal, despite recent injuries that significantly hampered his competition preparation.
In the girl’s breaststroke, Emily Wood (18) represented the club in both the 200m and 100m. She raced a strong field to achieve a bronze medal in the 200m in a time of 2.38.63 and finished 8th in the 100m (1.12.2). Natasha Fenton (15) also reached the final in both breaststroke events, finishing in 6th position in the 200m in 2.38.06 and 10th in the 100m finishing in in 1.15.08.
Daniel Jenkins (16) also had a very strong and busy week, finishing 5th in the 100 back final in 59.45; 8th in 200 free in 59.45; and 10th in 50 back in 28.32.
Mimi Morley-Izzat (14) also swam strongly – narrowly missing bronze in the 50m backstroke in 30.32.
City’s other swimmers in both individual and relay teams were Ellie Millington, Emily Ford, Maia Little, Safiya Silah, Arnold Marton, Chris Currie, Amy Coombe, Kate Mills, Delphine Little, Max Underwood, Max Bolcato, Lewis Gilchrist, Chris Motha, Chris Wood.