Stonehaven News Archive
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(l-r James Yule, Andrew Thomson, Sam George, Chris Williams, Pamela Beck, Jenny Sangster, Sara Hamilton & Jess Mason.)
Summer of Success!!
Stonehaven swimmers Sara Hamilton & Pamela Beck had an eventful summer program whilst most team-mates were relaxing on holiday. The girls joined Transitional Squad Coach Jim Cameron and his swimmers in Westhill for 3 weeks after Stonehaven training ended. There they trained intensively leading up to the ASA National Age Group Championships in Sheffield at the end of July. There the girls competed exceptionally well, with relay performances improved significantly from qualification at the Scottish Age Groups. Sara also went on to win a bronze medal in the Girls 12yrs 100m Freestyle in a new Scottish Age Group Record time of 59.76!
However the summer wasn't over yet and Pamela, with a short break from training - just 11 days! - she went on to compete in a new event to her and to any other Stonehaven swimmer - The Scottish Open Water Age Group Championships at Loch Oich on the 10th August. She excelled in the somewhat chilly temperatures and fought to take the Silver medal in the 2000m swim in the 13/14 years age group, despite only being 12! This outstanding swim qualified her for the British Age Group Championships in Nottingham on Saturday 25th August. There she swam a lesser distance of 1500m however showed her Open Water potential with a gutsy performance bringing home again the Silver medal, beating over 20 other competitors in the 13/14 age group, and still only 12 years old! That wasn't it though, in the team competition which adds up the best times for the fastest swimmer per age group, the Scotland North team picked up Silver behind the Devon team with Pamela's time contributing for the 13/14yrs category. Congratulations Pamela!! The season is now over for this year although expect to see Pamela in the lochs again at the beginning of the summer next year!
Sara also had one more competition to see to before she could begin the new season. After a year of impressive performances at National level, she was selected to represent the Scotland North & West Team at the UK School Games. An initiative set up to showcase the best of British talent in order to find Olympic champions for London 2012. Competing in the sprint event, 50m Freestyle, and against 15/16 year olds only weeks after her 13th Birthday, Sara stormed to a new Scottish 13 years Age Group Record in 27. and finished in a credible 4th place.
Congratulations Girls, and Best of Luck for the 2007/2008 Season!
