The seven swimmers from Ealing Swimming Club who competed in the British Swimming Championships in Sheffield last week all produced outstanding performances in a competition which included the cream of British swimming. The meet incorporated trials for the Olympic Games the European Junior Championships, World Youth games, Canadian Tri Nation meet and the Commonwealth Youth Games.

Early in the meet, Charles Turner (23) swam the 50m freestyle in a new best time of 22.76 which gave him fourth place and new Club, Middlesex County and London Region records. On the penultimate day, he competed in the 100m freestyle, recording best times in both the heats and the finals where he came 5th in a time of 49.81 – again a new  Club County and Region record. This should have given him a place in the 4 x 100m relay team for Beijing but disappointingly the combined times of the swimmers in contention, failed to make the qualifying time by a very small margin, so as matters stand at present there will be no British entry for the relay.

The 100m freestyle was an event that was also extremely successful for the Ealing girls. Natalie Durant (17), Georgina Heyn (23) and Jenna Turner (17) all swam the heats in times that were inside the existing Club record of 57.71, and Natalie’s time of 56.62 was also a new County record. Georgina and Jenna’s times were 57.04 and 57.41 respectively. Natalie made the A final where she finished eighth and Georgina and Jenna were third and eighth respectively in the B final. This was a tremendous effort by the girls and the Club is very proud of having three girls ranking in the British top twenty of this event.

In the 400m freestyle, Natalie again produced a wonderful performance swimming the event in 4.17.95 -  a new Club and County record  - which time gave her a place in the B final where she finished third. Her third event was the 200m freestyle where she finished in twentieth place but in a new best time of 2.02.74 – only .50 of a second off the current Middlesex County record, a measure of how stiff was the competition at these championships.

Georgina’s other events were the 50m freestyle where she finished joint seventh in the A final and the 100m breaststroke where she finished third in the B final in a time of 1.12.55, a new London Region record. Both finals took place in the same session, which was in itself taxing. Jenna, recently returned from a brilliant swim at the European Long Course Championships, swam the 200m freestyle in 2.05.07  - another best time for her.

Jenna’s sister Lauren (14) produced a European Junior Qualifying time in the 200m backstroke   of 2.19.31 and swam a best time of 1.06.41 in the 100m backstroke. Zak Shafique (14) swam a superb 2 second best time of 2.14.20 in the 200m backstroke.

Holly Mills (19) freshly back from America came second in the B final of the 200m backstroke in 2.16.78 and swam the 100m backstroke in 1.05.64.

Head Coach Dave Heathcock said that altogether it had been fantastic meet for the Ealing swimmers.