Scottish National Age Group Championships, Tollcross, Glasgow, 7-10th April 2011

South Mainland brothers Donnie and Eddie Price between them swam 32 races at the Scottish National Age Group Championships. Both had qualified for all 13 events and fourteen year old Donnie successfully reached 6 finals, achieved 1 silver and 2 bronze medals, and made long course PBs in every event during the 4 day competition.

Day one kicked off with the 200m butterfly followed by the 100m freestyle when Donnie made his first final. Following this was the longest event, the 1500 freestyle where Donnie, in typical fashion started at a fairly steady pace. Each 500 metres progressed quicker than the previous resulting in a good long course PB and a silver medal.

Two finals were reached on the second day in the 200m freestyle and the 200m breaststroke where he attained 4^th and 9^th places. Saturday’s heats brought a further two finals in the 200m IM and the 100m backstroke, but with 8 swimmers having achieved a time within 0.6seconds in the 100m breaststroke, Donnie missed that event’s final by a finger nail. However, the 400m freestyle provided an excellent racing opportunity when Donnie produced a flat out final 25metres to fight off a furiously fast finish by the swimmer in the next lane to just make it into the medals in 3^rd place.

The last day of the championships brought two races that he wasn’t fast enough a year ago to qualify for, the 100m butterfly and the 200m backstroke. He demonstrated how well he’s progressed in recent months in backstroke by making it to the final. Prior to finals, he still had the 800m freestyle. It was an interesting race as similar to last year the heat before his had produced two times faster than Donnie’s entry time. Again, Donnie tackled the race in a steady first half then picked up the pace gaining on, then overtaking several swimmers during the second half.  Pushed all the way, Donnie had a very fast and necessary last 100metres which, although out-touched at the end was enough to have beaten the swimmer in the earlier heat by a second and to win the bronze in a new Shetland Age Group record.

For younger brother Eddie, 12, this was the first time competing at a National event. As the youngest Shetlander to have ever qualified for all 13 events, and indeed the only boy in his age group at the championships to do so, this in itself was a remarkable achievement.  Having only ever raced some of the events once before in a 50metre pool, there were certainly new challenges. Nevertheless, he coped particularly well in his races and produced results very close to entry times, creating a set of long course PBs. One of his best times was in the 100m freestyle with a 1.06.48 and another was at the other end of the scale with a 19.47.62 in the 1500m freestyle, where he finished in his top position of 6^th place. A further top ten place was achieved in the 800m freestyle where he finished 9^th.

Edinburgh International, Tollcross, Glasgow, 12/13 February 2011

Donnie Price, South Mainland ASC, competed in 8 events in the 13/14 age group and the Open 200IM and created a new batch of Long Course PBs, setting further targets for the months to come.  Swimming at the high level meet were all the top boys in the country, providing the toughest competition since his last visit to Glasgow. Donnie’s highest place was a fourth in the 200m breaststroke with a 2.46.51. 

Other top ten places were achieved in the 200m free (5^th)  and the 200m backstroke (7^th) and in making two of the finals for 100’s, he finished in sixth place in the breaststroke. Breaking the minute for long course for the first time in the heat of the 100m freestyle, he was 10^th qualifier for the evening’s final where he then improved his with a 59.75 to move up to 8^th place.

Scottish National Age Group Championships, Tollcross, Glasgow, 8-11 April 2010

Donnie Price, representing South Mainland ASC, swam 11 events in the boys’ 13 year age group and had a most successful championships, returning home with a gold medal as Scottish Champion in one event and silver and bronze medals for a further two.

On day one of the 4 day competition, he headed off with a great start. Qualifying for the first time for the 200m butterfly, he managed to knock 10 seconds off his long course time to finish in 17th place with a time of 2.47.99.

This was followed by a Pb in the heats of the 100m freestyle. His time of 1.01.84 gave him 8th ranked place for the final, which he then improved to 5th when again he had a Pb to bring his time down to1.01.20.

Taking place in the afternoon of the first day was the event at the other end of the range; the 1500m freestyle. Donnie had an amazing swim and, with an 18.08.65, won the event and was awarded the Scottish Age Group Champion title, repeating last year’s success.

Day two brought more chances to gain long course Pbs, and again started very well with an excellent 100m butterfly. His time of 1.10.98 gave him 13th place. In the afternoon it was the 400m IM. A tough race in a 50m pool, this was Donnie’s first ever experience of the event long course and he was extremely pleased to swim a 5.28.89 and achieve 12th place.

 

The third day started with Donnie producing another Pb in the 100m breaststroke; with a 1.23.60 he came 12th, a reserve for the final. In the 200m IM he had another well paced swim to finish in 2.34.96, once more a Pb and 13th place. In the afternoon session, Donnie raced a superb 400m freestyle, and with a time of 4.37.80 won his second medal, the bronze.

 

Sunday, the last day of the competition, started with the 200m freestyle. Aiming to make the final, Donnie produced a Pb time of 2.13.67, comfortably gaining a place in the final. In next race, the 200 breaststroke, he managed to meet his target of breaking 3 minutes. However he was disappointed that his time of 2.59.49 meant 12th place, again reserve finalist, knowing that only half a second faster would have given him the desired place.

In the afternoon session, Donnie faced his last distance event, the 800m freestyle. In a heat with 14 year olds pushing him all the way, he finished well inside his entry time in a 9.28.63. At that point he was fastest 13year old and with only 2 more swimmers his age left to swim, he was guaranteed a medal. Only the outstanding Jordan Hughes of North Ayrshire finished faster, so Donnie won silver, bringing his medal tally to one of each colour.

One last race remained in the evening’s finals. Although he had made a Pb in the morning heats, Donnie knew that with slightly different pacing he could better his time. He had a brilliant race and improved his time by a further 1.5 seconds to finish in 5th place with a 2.12.08.

Edinburgh International on Tour, Tollcross Pool, Glasgow, 13-14 February 2010

Representing South Mainland ASC, Donnie Price,13, gained valuable long course experience swimming 8 events in the boys 13-14 year age group. On the Saturday, he started off the weekend with a long course PB in the 100m backstroke and followed this by another long course PB for 200m breaststroke. Following this trend he completed the afternoon with a further 2 PBs for the 200m backstroke and a 1.24.79 in the 100m breaststroke gave him a time eligible to enter the Scottish Age Groups in April.

More successful swims were accomplished on Sunday with races in freestyle and butterfly. A good, strong swim in the 100m fly resulted in a PB of 1.12.14 gaining him his second Scottish Age Group time. In the 100m freestyle he swam a 1.02.21 and in the 200m freestyle a 2.14.91, both events breaking PB times set a fortnight earlier in the same pool. Finally, tackling the challenge of long course 200m butterfly for the first time since last year, Donnie finished with substantial improvement in time.

Scottish National Masters Championships, Scotstoun, Glasgow - April 2009

All colours of medals were won by two Shetland swimmers last weekend at the Scottish National Masters Championships at Scotstoun, Glasgow. Competitors aged 18 – 80 from clubs throughout the UK and Ireland and the now regular visitors from Catalonia, Spain were attracted to this top event for adult swimmers.

On Friday evening, Lynsey Henderson, 26, of Lerwick Amateur Swimming Club gained her first silver medal in the women’s 25-29 years 100m freestyle in a time just outside her entry time. She then came 4th in the 50m butterfly and finished the evening with another silver in the 100m individual medley.

Saturday morning started with the 200m IM where Lynsey swam a good time for the bronze. Her next race, the 200m freestyle provided a tough race with seven competitors in her age group seeded in the fastest heat. Onlookers witnessed a fantastic race, with all swimmers turning together after the first 50m. At 100m, little seperated the three leaders with not one falling behind during the second half. Once again Lynsey was awarded the silver, but was the fastest British swimmer, having narrowly been beaten by a Catalonian.

The afternoon session began with the 400m freestyle, a mid-distance event that has always been one of Lynsey’s strengths. Similar to the earlier 200m, the fastest heat proved to be a very closely fought race. Lynsey went out quickly for the first 100m, maintained a fast pace for the next 200m and really pushed hard in the final 100m. Touching in an excellent time of 5.11.32, Lynsey gained her final medal of the competition – another silver, and with gold going to a swimmer from the top London Masters club Otter, once again she was the fastest Scot. In her final swim of the day, the 50m freestyle, the favourite event for masters, Lynsey came 5th. Overall in her age group, on points total, Lynsey came third out of 18.

Representing South Mainland Amateur Swimming Club, 50 year old Jan Price raced 11 events over 3 sessions. Having reached an age where PBs are tougher to achieve, matching entry times based on last year’s times was her aim. Friday evening’s four races were all just a touch slower than targets but still resulted in silvers for 100m breaststroke and 50m butterfly and bronzes for 100m freestyle and 100m individual medley.The next day began very well with a superb race in the 200m IM. For the first 50m butterfly, Jan was close to her previous evening’s sprint time. Then having dropped a little in the backstroke she pulled back on swimmers on either side during the breaststroke and closed the gap on the first length of freestyle. A determined spurt in the final length resulted in a time of 3.14.59 just inside her entry time and first place in her age group. In the 50m backstroke she came third and a second gold of the morning was gained in the 200m breaststroke.

After a relaxed lunch outside in the sunshine, Jan’s next challenge came in the 400m freestyle, the first event in the final session. She paced it well throughout with a strong finish and was delighted with a time only a second slower than her personal best which earned her the bronze.

By mid afternoon, like many swimmers, Jan was looking forward to finishing her events. A time equalling her entry time in the 50m breaststroke resulted in silver, followed by a 4thin her first ever 100m backstroke. 24 hours after arriving at the pool, she finished off her competition with bronze place in 50m freestyle, just a second outside her best. Overall in the women’s 50-54 age group, her points total earned her second place out of 15.