THE Devon County Championships started in earnest at the Central Park pool in Plymouth last weekend and the Kelly College swim squad returned home from the competition with a total of 17 gold medals, 9 of which were achieved in Competition Best Times (CBTs). The team also produced Championship winners in the form of Jack Cockerton (50 breaststroke and 400IM) and Sophie Calpin (100m breaststroke). Jack?s return to form after the disappointment of missing the National Youth Championships last year through illness, delivered him the two championship trophies, four gold medals in the 16 year age group (100 freestyle, 50m breaststroke, 100m and 400m IM) and three competition best times - the 400m IM championship record set by Paul Brew was left standing. Further success came for Kelly in the girls? breaststroke events with Sophie Calpin winning the 100m championship final from team mate Holly Yeo. Sophie also claimed a gold medal in the 14 years 200m breaststroke with a CBT and silver in the Championship for the same event. The tables were turned as Holly won the 100m gold for the 14 years but had to settle for bronze in the 200m championship to go with the silver from the age group final. In the 10 years age group, Kelly?s new arrival Kathryn Stacey lead the way to her first gold in the 200m also with a CBT as did Sophie Stanford in the 17 and over 100m final. Sophie also took bronze in the 200m. Joshua Lake (14) won gold in the 50m breaststroke for his age and set a new CBT in the process. He also won silver in the 100m freestyle and a bronze in the 100m IM. Matthew Henry, 14, gained four golds, one with a CBT, in the 100m IM, 100m freestyle,200m butterfly and 400m IM, and just missed the National Qualifying time for the 100m freestyle. Team mate Tom Howe (15) won the 400m IM in a heat declared event. As a result Tom was placed second overall just 2 seconds behind Jack and Matthew achieved a creditable 6th place. Tom also won silver in the 100m IM and 200m Butterfly and joint 3rd in the 100m freestyle. His heat time for the 100m IM was good enough to earn him a place in the Championship final where he finished 4th. In the girls? 13 years age group, gold went to Kelly squad member, Megan Mackenzie, with an impressive swim in the 100m backstroke. She also produced a nail biting race with team mate Sophie Howe in the heats of the 400m freestyle which after 16 lengths saw Sophie finish ahead by 1 hundredth of a second. In the final the places were reversed with Megan taking the silver and Sophie the bronze and Laura Sprague just missing out on the medals in fourth place. Laura and Megan were together again in the final of the both 100m and 200m breaststroke events where Laura earned herself two silver medals and Megan a further bronze. Sophie fought hard in the 100m backstroke final to take third place and a bronze medal. The final gold medal winner was David Kelly who beat the competition in the 17 and over category of the 100m IM then added a silver from the 100m freestyle. In the same age band, Jonathon Wills won silver in the 100m IM and bronze in the 100m freestyle. Silver medals went to Luke Wakefield , finishing behind Jack in the 50m breaststroke, 100m IM and 100m freestyle for 16 year olds. Luke also appeared in two championship finals finishing 3rd in the 50 breast and 5th in the 100 IM. Also James McFarlane (13) earned himself a NQT and silver medal in the 100m freestyle and bronze in the 100m IM. Further bronze medals went to Meghan Spence (16) 100m and 200m breaststroke and 400m freestyle, Daniel Kidwell 15 years 50m breaststroke, Charlie Bayliss (11) and Michael Wallis (13) 200m butterfly, Lawrence Oxborough (12) 100m freestyle and Brikitta Batten (15) who has just discovered the 100m breaststroke. Just missing out on the medals with 4th place were Rebecca Fletcher (14) 50m backstroke, Brikitta Batten (15) 50m and 100m backstroke, Cameron Carpenter-Warren (11) and Gregg Shrosbree (14) 200m butterfly, and Philip Channon (14) 400m IM. The competition continues in a week?s time.
