Level 3 National Gala (18-22 March in Durban)
Erin Graham & Robyn Charter took part in this as members of Aquabear swimming club – the club finished 6th out of 64 clubs.
Robyn made the final of 100m back (15-18 year age group). Came 4th in the 100m free and also achieved a new personal best time of 59.8sec and she became the 1st EP woman to break the 1min for 100m free. Robyn also tied the EP record in 50m free with a time of 27.56sec.
Erin came 5th in the 100m free and during the gala she also dropped her time to 1.08min (personal best). Erin also dropped her time in the 50m backstroke to 31.60 and finished in 5th place.
Robyn and Erin, along with Tammy Price and Michaela Barnes, won the women’s 4 x 50m free relay. All 4 swimmers swam under 28sec. This is the 1st time in about 30 years that EP has won a relay at a major National event!
Level 2 National Gala (25-28 March in Cape Town)
The DSG girls who qualified to swim at the Level 2 National gala had an extremely successful gala – six swimmers brought home 17 medals.
In the 4 x 100m free relay, Nicky Smith, Dale McLoughlin, Claire Ter Morshuizen and Jessica White won a bronze medal.
In the medley relay Nicky Smith, Dale McLoughlin, Kelly Long and Jessica White won a silver medal.
Jessica White won gold for 50m freestyle.
Isabella Davies made the finals for all her events and won a bronze medal for 50 m backstroke.
Kelly Long won a gold medal for 50m breast and a silver medal for 200m breast. Remarkably she knocked 20 seconds of her entry time for the 200m breast!
Nicky Smith had an exceptionally good gala. She came home with seven medals. Apart from the 2 relay medals she won, she also won a bronze for 50m free, 2 silvers for 50m back and 100m back, and 2 golds for 200m back and 50m fly.
Level 2 National Gala (25-28 March in Cape Town) - Junior school
Hannah Rippon, Coralie Richardson, Elizabeth Williamson and Caydn Barker represented the Eastern Cape at the Level 2 national gala. It was a daunting event as it was the first gala of this size and significance for them. They, never the less, tackled their races with courage and determination and it was a huge learning curve for them. Both Hannah and Elizabeth can be congratulated on breaking the 35 second barrier in the 50m free events by swimming 34.98 and a 34.81 respectively.
Well done to these junior school swimmers.
Article in the EP Herald by Hugh Glover
