Finally the years County Championships have come to an end and our most talented members return to the Etwall pool with the sounds of shattered records and the national anthem still ringing in their ears.

This year’s representatives were:-

Dan Morton 9 Years old, Emily Barcz Rowe 14, Chris Steeples 16, Kathryn Roworth 11, Harry Rowe 12, Natalie Morton 12, Amber Darwin 10, Christian Barcz 15 and Georgia Byng 13,

1st Weekend - 7th & 8th March

An astonishing start to the event as 13 club age records fell during the first weekend.  Harry Rowe muscled his way to 7 of them as he twice defeated his perennial nemesis, Kevin Wallbank, in winning both the 50 and 100 backstroke events.

Christian Barcz smarting from the loss of several of his records to Harry, put his heartache aside to create 3 new all-age club records in 50 free, 50 fly and 100 back. Chris Steeples also claimed 2 all-age records in the 400 free and the 200 I.M as he stormed to victories in these events plus the 100 free.

Kathryn Roworth re-set the girls 11yo 200 free record when recording an 11 second P.B, whilst Amber Darwin and Georgia Byng also set new PB’s in the 50 fly and 100 breaststroke respectively.

2nd Weekend – 14th&15th March

The weekend ended in drama  as St Johns ambulance were called to treat Joanne Roworth and Sally Rowe who were suffering from extreme cases of inane grinning, as their offspring, to whom they have clearly passed on all their swimming skills, stole the spotlight, each posting  5 new age records.

In total a further 13 records were demolished but perhaps the highlight of the weekend was the startling performance of 9yo Dan Morton . In his first ever open meet, the previously unheralded younger brother of the gifted and dedicated Natalie Morton, left the crowd agog as he powered clear in his heat of the 50 free to post a huge PB which was only overhauled in the final heats.

This effort clearly inspired Christian Barcz who surprised even himself when taking victory and the scalp of his main rival, Robert Guest to post a huge PB and a new club record of 2:00.29 in the 200 free. Sadly for Christian this lasted just 10 minutes as Chris Steeples, also clearly in awe of Dan Morton,  lowered this by a further 2.8 seconds when taking the 16yo event by clear water.

Final weekend – 21stMarch

Only a single days racing but the young Eagles were in no mood to stop showing off  with 8 new age records and a further 4 all-age records lowered by the aspiring Olympians.

The younger swimmers had only  the I.M to concentrate on in the morning,  but nothing could stop Harry setting another 12yo age record in the 100 I.M. whilst Amber Darwin and Natalie Morton also came to the party and posted P.B’s in the same event.

The afternoon session saw  Chris Steeples set a new record in the 100 I.M whilst 13yo Georgia Byng, finally bored with dominating the breastroke age records, posted 3:03.36 to get herself onto the all-time all-age club records in the 200 breastroke, no doubt costing her proud father a small fortune.

Christian Barcz then broke the 200m backstroke all-age record following his thrilling narrow win in the 100 fly. The sight of this magnificent athlete in full flow somehow inspired the elegant  Emily Rowe to a new 14yo age record in the 50 backstroke.

The final evening session saw Chris Steeples annihilate the field in the 50 breastroke whilst Christian Barcz powered to a new club all-age record and the second fastest 50m time of the entire 3 weekends in the 50m free, only to be robbed of glory by the enemy from Derby Phoenix.

In total 32 age records were re-set whilst an amazing 13 all-age club records were created during this hugely successful event.

For a very small club we really are lucky to have members of this standard within our ranks and parents  of children in the earlier groups would do well to allow their children to stay behind to watch just 20 minutes of the late session, as they would learn so much just by watching the style, power, technique  and rhythm which some of the above display.

Thanks go to all the parents who supported the event and accolades to the athletes that represented the club so magnificently during this event.

A number of smaller “open” events are currently advertised on the board and the website which would be ideal starter events for many of our younger swimmers taking their first steps to glory.

Should any children or parents require any advice please seek-out/contact Sally Rowe, Joanne Darwin, Joanne Roworth, Andy Ives, Craig Airey or Andy Sadler. All will be only too happy to help.

Derbyshire County Championships 2009

Records Tumble to Young Eagles