Young Titans Shine at Midland Swimming Championships

At the final weekend of the 2009 Midland Age Group Swimming Championships, which were held in Coventry, Ellesmere College Titan swimmers Alfie Pardoe and James Wilson, both aged 11, won a bronze medal apiece and came joint 7th in the overall Bagcat points table. Both qualified for the British Age Group Championships which are being held in Sheffield in July.

Swimming against the best young swimmers in the Midlands which comprises of the ten counties of Shropshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Northamtonshire, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire - Alfie and James swum their way to a combined total of ten personal best and 4 British National Championship qualifying times.

In the 11/u boys 200m backstroke Alfie secured the bronze medal in a time of 2:39.87 – the thirteenth fastest Long Course time recorded this year by an 11 year old anywhere in the UK. Alfie also came 6th in the  400m freestyle (5:03.82) and 6th in the 200m IM (2:46.34).

James Wilson Produced a Spectacular Swim

Not to be out-gunned by his teammate, James Wilson produced a spectacular swim in the 100m freestyle to take the bronze medal in a new personal best time of 1:07.41. James also finished 4th in the 400m freestyle (5:02.08) and 7th in the 200m IM (2:46.75).

Commenting upon their success Titan head coach Jon Pardoe said “I’m delighted for both James and Alfie. In our first season since we started the club back in June 2008 we have secured four British National Championship qualifying times and James and Alfie are two  of only three swimmers aged 11 or under in Shropshire to have qualified”.

Other young Ellesmere College Titan swimmers in action at the Midland Championships included Elliot Hughes and Hannah Greene, both aged 12.