SWIMMING REPORT

JEUX DES ILES (World Youth Island Games)
SICILY- May 22nd to 28th, 2006

LONG COURSE (50METRE POOL)

Daisy Grundy, Louisa Critchley, Sam Tinson-Wood and Mikael Popov formed the first swimming team for the Isle of Wight to participate in the annual Jeux des Iles (World Youth Island Games) in Sicily. All four swimmers were selected for these games because they achieved very tough qualifying times. They were accompanied by 16 youngsters in athletics and four others in sailing along with coaches and managers.

Anne Collins coached the swimmers with Nicolas Popov assisting as team manager and who also was the press person for the Isle of Wight delegation. Very tired from a long Journey, the four swimmers were delighted to check into the Venta Club Hotel, a comfortable all inclusive resort right on the beach and 20 minutes out of Syracuse where the swimmers competed.

The next two days involved an open ceremony and several training session in the 50m pool at the Citedella del sport.

The first day of competition was on Thursday May 25th and Louisa splashed in first with a 50m backstroke which she was very pleased to finish 9th out of 22 swimmers. All four swimmers are the youngest in their category though this did not intimidate them. Mikael was next and swum a PB time in the 100 m breaststroke, placing 10th. Both Louisa in lane 8 and Daisy in lane 1 swum together in the 200m free in PB times and finished 15th and 19th respectively out of 25 swimmers. Sam swum the 200m free in PB time and placed 13th out of 24. Coach Anne Collins managed to enter the four swimmers in a mix relay which they swum against all boys and still came ahead of the all-boys Jersey team.

On day two, long distance specialist Daisy Grundy shaved 17 sec off her personal best time in the 800m and free and placed in the top 10. Team mate Louisa also did an impressive PB in the 100m freestyle in a time of 1.06.99. Mikael and Sam swum side by side in the 200 Individual Medley and Mikael¹s time of 2.30.00 was a good PB. Both boys competed in the 100 freestyle and Sam went under the minute in a time of 59.40. All swimmers went back to the hotel with big grins on their face.

On the final day of competition Louisa placed 7th in the 50 free in a PB time and Mikael also finished 7th in the 200m breaststroke which were the two best finishing performance for the Isle of Wight¹s swim team. Sam Tinson -Wood achieved a big 4 seconds PB in the 400m free and so did Daisy Grundy in the 200m back. To finish the day Daisy and Louisa made up a Medley relay team with two girls from Malta.

The Isle of Wigth team, who returned home on Sunday May 28th , not only gained the opportunity to compete internationally, but were able to meet youngsters from three continents with different cultures and ways of life. All four swimmers had a delightful experience which they would surely like to repeat. In 2007 the games will be held in Corsica and the IOW is hoping to take 4 girls (born 93, 94) and 4 boys (born 91,92).
"Arrivederci"

Swimming Times

GIRLS Time (place)

Louisa Critchley (93) 13yrs
50 Breaststroke 42.41 (12) PB
50 Free 30.63 (7)
100 Free 1.06.99 (13) PB
200 Free 2.28.53 (15) PB
50 Fly 36.18 (15) PB
50 Back 36.16 (9) PB

Daisy Grundy (93) 12 yrs
100 Free 1.12.34 (20) PB
200 Free 2.35.29 (19)
400 Free 5.27.98 (11)
800 Free 10.58.58 (10) PB
200 Back 2.49.96 (10) PB

BOYS Time (place)

Mikael Popov (92) 13yrs
50m Breaststroke 34.58 (11) PB
100m Breaststroke 1.15. 57 (10) PB
200m Breaststroke 2.43. 18 (7) PB
100 free 1.03.88 (19)
200 IM 2.30.00 (13) PB

Sam Tinson Wood (91) 15yrs
50 Free 27.43 (15)
100 Free 59.40 (15) PB
200 free 2.09.81 (13) PB
400 free 4.37.88 (12) PB
50fly 30.42 (13) PB
200 IM 2.33.79 (17) PB

17 PB out of 22 SWIMS