Dave McCullough Invitational Meet
This gala was held in the new Aurora Bangor 50m pool from Friday 28 Feb to Sunday 2 Mar 2014. Sliabh Beagh had two swimmers entered – Alannah Leonard and Peter O’Hara.
The gala had a very large entry. Top class swimmers from England, Scotland and Wales as well as all Irish squad swimmers and the best club swimmers in the country. Olympians Barry Murphy of Ireland, Hannah Miley Team GB, were two of the many top notch swimmers present. Many swimmers who have represented their country at European Youth and Junior level were present striving for times to be selected for the Commonwealth Games or forthcoming European championship slots.
Alannah swam in the following events; 100 free, 400 IM, 100 back, 200 free, 200 back and 200 I’m. Peter only had one swim due to an error with the entry and his inability to attend on Fri or Sat. Alannah had a mixed weekend with good swims in the freestyle events but she was not happy with her IM and Backstroke returns. Sport is very much about performance on the day. In training Alannah was producing PB times but this weekend the brakes were on. Peter swam the 100 butterfly race. He had a great first 50m but was not able to maintain the pace to the finish dropping off the front with 15m to go. However, he was happy that he was in the mix for most of the race. For the next 3 weeks we have to knuckle down to long and intense work if we are to have a good gala for all club swimmers at the end of March.
Busy Gala weekend
The coming weekend sees a large number of SB swimmers travelling to compete in Galas.
Good luck to Louise Gorman, Olivia Gorman and Allison Gorman who travel to Larne to compete in the Swim Ulster Development Gala. A large number of swimmers are attending The Trojan Gala in the NAC. Good luck also to Jamie Sheridan, Nathan Shields, Matthew Comiskey, James Campbell, Leon Campbell, Geroid Coyle, Ruadhan Curren, Caolan Roberts, Lorcan Roberts and Nevin Fowler. Also good luck to Katie Bowden, Riona Kilpatrick, Caoimhe Leonard, Caragh Leonard, Ellen Mc Geough, Sheena Mc Kennagh, Hazel Mc Morrow, Jordan Mc Shane, Emer Sheridan and Hannah Skeath. Fast swimming everyone!
Well done to SB swimmer Cornelia Connolly who ran the Carlingford Half Marathon with her Muckno Tri Club team mates at the weekend.