A UEA City of Norwich Swimming Club team who travelled to Sheffield to compete in the level one Long Course Derventio Meet included three local swimmers who all made an incredible start to the season.
Isaac Kirby, 14, from Bradwell, who attends Lynn Grove High School, Gorleston, had outstanding performances in the pool returning home with gold in 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke. Not satisfied with that he then took gold in the 200IM and 50m freestyle.
Jack Utting, 15, from Caister, who attends Caister High School also had a fantastic weekend bringing home gold in 200m backstroke.
Isaac and Jack have qualified to race at the country’s most prestigious event the British Gas Championships in Leeds next month. This is where trials take place for the biggest competitions across the world and the boys will be targeting times for the European Youth Olympic Festival in Utrecht, Holland, intakes July.
Paralympian Jessica-Jane Applegate, a former Ormiston Academy student, raced her first ever long course 400m freestyle and broke the British record by almost two seconds. She also broke her own British record in the 100m freestyle. Jessica will also be in Leeds racing for times she can hopefully reproduce in April at her trials for the ‘Worlds’ competition in Canada in August.
Alex Pinniger (head coach) supported the swimmers during their stay.
The City of Norwich Swimming Club hosted the Norfolk & Suffolk County Championships at the UEA SportsPark.
Jessica-Jane swam her first-ever long course 800m freestyle in a time of 9:48.95 and smashed the 14-year-old British record by a staggering 27 seconds.
All three swimmers were awarded funding this year from Norfolk’s Rising Stars panel which is helping with all the costs of training and competing away from home.
Anyone interested in joining the UEA City of Norwich swimming club please contact Alex Pinniger alexpinniger@gmail.com
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