Sherwood Colliery go one better and win the title

Sherwood Colliery Swimming Club swept to emphatic victories in five out of six rounds of the Nottinghamshire Sports Centre League to scoop the Division One Championship title from under the noses of fellow rivals Worksop Dolphins, Mansfield A, Calverton & Bingham, Retford SC & Newark SC.

After missing out on the title by just one point in 2012, Sherwood A made sure of their victory by winning five out of six rounds and amassing 35 points, ahead of runners-up, and 2012 champions, Retford SC with 28.

At the other end of the table, Newark SC won the relegation battle with Calverton & Bingham to retain their place in the premiership for 2014.

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In Division three, Sherwood B recorded a credible fourth place overall with a total of 21 points - an outstanding result for the B squad given that the first three positions went to other Club’s A squads.

Sherwood swimmers additionally joined Mansfield SC in representing the area in the UK’s premier swimming competition, the National Arena League.

The competition includes 400 teams and over 16,000 swimmers divided into seven regional leagues, and after securing a top 12 finish in the East Midlands region, Sherwood retained their place in the Premier League for the 2014 competition and now head to Louth for the third and final round safe in the knowledge their position in next year’s competition is secure.

Rounding off a busy competitive period, Sherwood’s black & gold colours were also flying high recently amongst the 23 other clubs competing in the locally-hosted Major Oak Open Meet.

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Over the two full days of competition, the squad bought home the prestigious Top Male Swimmer Award (12-year-old Owen Ottaway), the Junior Male Medley Skins Champion (13-year-old Elliot Clogg), the Junior Female Medley Skins Runner-Up (12-year-old Lily Boseley), and four Medley Skin finalists (Elliot Clogg, Jade Young, Lily Boseley and Owen Ottaway).

In all they won over 65 individual medals and a huge number of personal best, 2014 County Championship and 2014 Midland Regional qualifying times.

Hosts Mansfield Swimming Club had 44 swimmers compete in the Major Oak in a total of 208 races.

The swimmers set a superb combined total of 135 new personal best times and had a total of 57 top three placings with 21 golds, 16 silvers and 20 bronze with victories for Abbie Scott, Jess Parnell, Rhys Taylor, Tom Howarth, Benjamin Canavan-Taylor and Oli Hempsall.

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Oli continued his amazing year by winning all four of his events in the 50m free and back and the 100m free and back. He also set a new meet record of 26.14 in the 50m fly.

Tom Howarth also continued his fine season by winning all three breaststroke races and set two new meet records in the 50m and 100m in times of 30.63 and 1.06.31.

A total of 17 short course Midland times were achieved to add to times already met by Rhys Taylor, Tom Howarth, Oli Hempsall, Ben Canavan-Taylor, Jack Rigby, Chris Baguley and Jess Parnell. These will be competing in Stafford in December.

A total of 24 long course youth and age group midland times were also achieved by Abbie Scott, Natalee Meldrum, Jess Parnell, Rhys Taylor, Ben Sharrocks, Tom Howarth, Jack Rigby, Chris Baguley, Ben Canavan-Taylor and Oli Hempsall.

These championships take place in May and June in Corby and Coventry.

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