Halloween Gala Bangor 16 – 18 November 2012

Twelve Sliabh Beagh swimmers attended this gala. They swam in events ranging from 50m to 400m.  All swimmers achieved Personal Best times in some or all of their events. The standard was high and the speed witnessed by the spectators in all events was very impressive.  Medals were collected by several swimmers but most were chasing PB’s and closing in on or obtaining qualifying times for the next level of competition.

The overall objective is to achieve qualifying times for the National Competitions in the summer.  Getting these early is the best policy.  For some they are close and for others they will just have to chip away at the times over the next 3 months to achieve them. This is very possible and will be attained with plenty of time left to focus on returning great swims and further improvement of time in these events.

The results were as follows:

Session 1 (Friday night)

• Ciaran O’Mordha 200 Freestyle 2.22.51, 100 Breaststroke 1.26.45
• Alexandra Germain 200 Freestyle 2.41.10
• Jordan McShane 100 Breaststroke 1.34.88

Session 2 and 3 (Saturday):

• Nathan Shields 100m Backcrawl 1.14.01, 400 Freestyle 5.15.19
• Colin Gorman 200 Breaststroke 3.18.20, 100m Butterfly 1.28.20
• Jordan McShane 200 Breaststroke 3.20.19, 50 Freestyle 33.30, 50 Breaststroke 43.60.

Session 4 (Sunday):

• Caolan McGee 200m Backstroke 2.31.95, 100 Freestyle 1.03.28,
• Claragh McGahon 200m Backstroke 2.58.20, 100m Freestyle 1.14.55,100 IM 1.32.88,
• Oisin Young 200m Backstroke 2.45.10, 100IM 1.22.07, Shauna McGahon 200m Backstroke 2.47.10, 100 Freestyle 1.07.00, 100 IM 1.21.94,
• Jamie Sheridan 100 Freestyle 1.07.10,50 Butterfly 35.87,100 IM 1.22.49,
• Orla Young 100m Freestyle 1.10.51, 100m IM 1.23.67
• Caoimhe Quinn 100m Freestyle 1.14.66, 50 Butterfly 42.32,100 IM 1.32.24
• Jordan McShane 1.12.66, 50 Butterfly 39.74, 100 IM 1.24.82

The photograph is of some of the swimmers who attended on Sunday last.

FOREST FEAST AQUASPRINT GALA
This Saturday 24th November sees the start of the Forest Feast Junior Aquasprint league.  Our first gala will be a home gala against Breffni Swimming Club, Cavan.T eam sheets have been posted on the Sliabh Beagh notice board at Coral Leisure Centre.  Warm up for Saturday’s Gala will be 6 o’ clock.  We would ask that all team members be at the pool in good time.  Can we remind swimmers to wear their Sliabh Beagh swimming hat and polo shirt.   This gala cannot run without the assistance of parents.  We would like to take this opportunity to thank parents who have already signed the job allocation sheet.  Parents who have yet to sign please do so as soon as possible.  Parents please remember to take sandwiches, cakes and healthy snacks for refreshments after the gala.    Good luck to all our swimmers for Saturdays Gala and the emphasis should always be on swimming well and having fun.

INTERNAL GALA

This Saturday 24th we will also be holding an internal gala for our Development Squad, Junior Aqua swimmers and Social squad.  Swimmers are reminded that this gala will commence at 5 pm and conclude at 6 pm.  All swimmers to be at the pool for 4.45pm.

ULSTER SECONDARY SCHOOLS GALA

This weekend is also busy for the secondary level swimmers.  The Ulster Secondary Schools gala will be held Friday 23rd to Saturday 24th November on Ballymena.  Good luck to all of you.

Forthcoming Galas

Other events on the horizon are the Development Gala in Castlereagh, Belfast on the 8/12/12 and the N&M Invitational sprint gala on the 16/12/12.    A club record gala will be held before Christmas if the schedule permits (probably Saturday 22/12/12).

CONDOLENCES

Sliabh Beagh Swimming Club wishes to offer sincere condolences to Sorcha & Lorcan Deery and family on the recent death of their aunt Bridget Deery. May she rest in peace.

CPD WORKSHOP

Swim Ireland are proposing to hold a CPD workshop for women in swimming in Monaghan on the 9/12/12.  If you are interested in attending forward you name to Eamon O’Hara 087 2110424 or email clairesherida28@gmail.com.

50M POOL SESSION

The next 50m Pool session in Magherafelt is on Sunday the 9/12/12 from 1 to 3 pm. Give you name to Claire to ensure you have a place at the session.

FEES

Fees are now due, please contact Tommy or Claire.  If you have already paid, thank you.

MASTER GALA

Last Saturday two swimmers performed in the Ulster Masters gala in Lisburn. This is a very popular gala and many swimmers from all over the country attend.  On this occasion there were swimmers from the four provinces and also swimmers who are now resident in Ireland but learned their swim skills a long way from here.  Several records fell during the gala and there was a great buzz in the pool area.

We had two swimmers and we also had a local girl who swims under the Irish Long Distance Swimming Association.  Cornelia Connolly was returning to swimming after an absence of twenty years.  This was a brave step and Cornelia managed the environment very well. Swimming in the following events, Cornelia set new Personal Best times in the 50m Freestyle, 50m Backcrawl, 100m Freestyle and the 400m Freestyle.  These times are significant improvements on her Club Gala and training time trials.  Into the bargain Cornelia was successful in winning a Bronze medal in the 100m Freestyle.  Mary Bramley swam in the 50 Breaststroke, 50 Backstroke and 400 Freestyle.  Mary was successful in collecting two bronze medals in the 50m Backcrawl and 400m Freestyle.  Peter O’Hara was the third swimmer attending. Peter swam successfully in the 100 Butterfly, 100m Breaststroke, 100 Backcrawl and 400m Freestyle.  He collected medals in all events and also set Personal best times.  He was a half second outside the 100m Butterfly Ulster Record.

50m POOL TRAINING

Last Sunday 18 swimmers from the club dipped their toes into the new 50m Pool in MAGHERAFELT.  This is a fabulous facility.  It is actually not that far away and will certainly provide and quality and alternative training stimulus for our swimmers.  The coaches were not wasting too much time admiring the building.  Work got underway on time and it was tough.  The swimmers found that the turns they do in pools like Monaghan are a great opportunity to rest the arms.  The last 10m of each length have the arms screaming for a break. This is especially so when the arms have pulled them through 3,000m and are heading for the 4,000m .  Training alongside us in the remaining 3 lanes was the Larne swim club.  This was a new experience for most swimmers and also was educational for our swimmers and parents watching.  This club had their swimmers bring all their own personal gear – snorkel, fins, pull buoy, kick board and hand paddles.  In this sport we are always learning from others and adapting the learning to our situation.

Anyway a big thank you to our Treasurer Tom Collins for putting time into negotiating the pool time and cost, also a big thank you to the transport providers. The event was good from a number of perspectives – training, learning from others, socialising and geography.  The next session at this venue is on the 9^th December.

MUCKNO TRI CLUB POOL TRIATHLON

Last Saturday also saw a number of our members participate in the triathlon, for some this was their first experience while others are now verging on becoming serious triathletes!!!  Congratulations to all who took part and well done.  NEXT TIME WE NEED EAMON TO PARTICIPATE!!!

SWIM ULSTER QUALIFYING MEET 1

This coming Friday, Saturday & Sunday we have 15 swimmers attending the first Swim Ulster Qualifying gala in Bangor.  Good luck to all of you.