By Mr Castro (Head of Swimming)
During January and February, our swimmers competed in County Championships in both Bedfordshire, Oxfordshire and North Buckinghamshire. The championships cover a full program of events for swimmers to compete in, ranging from the long-distance events 1500m and 800m freestyle right down to the fastest event, the 50m freestyle. The other strokes race over 200m, 100m and 50m, with 200m and 400m medleys as well as freestyle relays, medley relays and mixed relays.
Holly Katasi (Year 9) was racing in Oxfordshire and North Buckinghamshire, whilst Lucy Young (Upper Sixth), Eleni Zorn (Upper Sixth), Bella Ward (Lower Sixth), Phoebe Titchener (Year 11), Tabitha Frame (Year 11), Eloise Cole (Year 11), Megan Barnicoat (Year 8), Enya Belcher (Year 8), Eva Jackson (Year 7), Izzy Morris (Year 6), Grace Jackson (Year 4), Keira Katasi (Year 6) and Amy Jeavons (Year 6) Kitty Toland (Year 5) Elizabeth Milne (Year 5) were racing in Bedfordshire. At these competitions the students all represent their own swimming clubs; City of Milton Keynes, Bedford Swim Squad, Biggleswade, Flitwick, Putteridge and Linslade Crusaders.
Between them, the swimmers raced almost 75 individual events, with many of them qualifying for and swimming in finals and relays on top of this. Across their events the swimmers won 41 individual medals in their respective age groups. Eva Jackson won 10 individual medals in her age group, the most of any of our swimmers, with Megan Barnicoat winning 8, and Eloise Cole and Holly Katasi winning 7 each. Many of the swimmers also achieved qualification for the East Region Regional Championships, which will be held in the spring.
In Bedfordshire, swimmers who are under 15 score points in various categories to then qualify for an age category award. I am pleased to say that Megan Barnicoat ranked second overall in the 13 year old age group, and Eva Jackson ranked third overall in the 12 year old age group.
In the Senior Championships in Bedfordshire, BGS had a 1-2 in the 50m freestyle with Eloise Cole taking gold and Bella Ward taking silver. We also had a 1-3 finish in the 100m backstroke with Eloise winning gold and Lucy Young taking bronze. Eleni Zorn claimed gold in the 50m breaststroke event, and Eloise also won the 100m freestyle, 50m and 100m butterfly and 50m and 100m backstroke setting new Senior County Records in the 50 and 100 Back. In the Junior Championships, Megan Barnicoat took silver medals in both the 800m and 1500m freestyle.
