Leeds National Qualifier

15-17 April 2022 [Thanks to our poolside reporter Jayne Elliott]

It takes a lot of dedication and commitment to spend the Easter Weekend in a baking hot pool but that is what a dedicated bunch of Leyland swimmers, parents and Head Coach Gillian did!

But why!! 

The British Summer Championships are run by British Swimming with the English Championships organised by Swim England. Entry to both is by invitation only and is dependent on times swum between 11th March and 8th May 2022, inclusive. Times must be swum in a 50-metre pool at a Level 1 event.

Between 11^th March and 8^th May weekly lists are published of times eligible for consideration with a final draft ranking list published once the window has closed after 8^th May when the 24 top-ranked swimmers in each event – in each age grouping – are invited to attend the British Summer Championships  (for the 800m and 1500m events only the top 18 are invited).

The next 24 ranked swimmers at Swim England affiliated clubs – or those who have chosen to be ranked as an English swimmer – are invited to compete at the Nationals.

The Leeds Meet attracted swimmers from across the north of England and the Midlands so competition was tough and although entry to the Leeds meet was based on attaining qualification times listed many clubs – including Leyland had entries rejected.

The programme itself was tough and the weekend provided a great learning experience with long sessions and finals held between 4 and 6pm each day.

First to swim on Good Friday was Mia Ascroft who competed in the 1500 metre freestyle and got a well deserved personal best time. 

Saturday saw Hannah, Tom, Ethan, Danielle, Leo and Amelie in action with Tom making the final in the 100 metre freestyle, Hannah in the 50 metre backstroke and Amelie in the 100 metre breaststroke. 

For all three to make the 15 and over age group finals was a great achievement and Amelie brought home our first medal winning silver in the breaststroke and improving on her previous qualification time within ‘the window’!!

Sunday saw another hot day on poolside (and a few melted Easter eggs!) with a great personal best time for Olivia Robinson in the 50 metre breaststroke heats and another personal best time for Mia Ascroft in the 200 metre butterfly.

James, Danielle and Ethan also swam with James coming back from illness and injury which has totally disrupted his season.

Tom, Amelie and Hannah made the finals again with Hannah swimming in the 100 metre backstroke and 50 metre butterfly and Amelie in the 50 metre breaststroke.

It was Tom who brought the medal home on Sunday with a personal best time in the 50 freestyle and a good swim in the 50 metre backstroke final.

All nine swimmers did the club proud and swam well over the weekend and for James, Danielle, Olivia and Amelie it’s now time to get their heads down and focus on their GCSE and A level exams! 

With regards to the summer we currently have Hannah, Tom and Amelie on one or both of the interim ranking lists so with fingers and toes crossed watch this space and lets hope we see them all progress through to swim at the British Summer Championships in July and/or Home Nation Summer Meet in August.