Golden double for Thurso club swimmer at Scottish Summer Meet
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Highland Swim Team’s Tom Armitage (16) finished the 2022/23 swimming season in style by winning gold in both the 100m and 200m backstroke events at the invitation-only Scottish Summer Meet.
Tom, a member of Thurso Amateur Swimming Club (TASC), had a busy weekend at Aberdeen Sports Village, opting to swim eight of his 13 age-group qualifying events.
On day one he reached the final of the 50m backstroke, moving up from sixth-place qualifier to fourth equal, narrowly missing out on a medal by 0.2 in a new long course personal best of 29.28.
On day two, Tom produced his stand-out performance of the competition in the 100m backstroke final, swimming two seconds faster between his heat and final to win the event in a fantastic 1:01.84 – over one-and-a-half seconds ahead of his nearest competitor.
In what is consistently Tom’s strongest event, the 200m back, he qualified first, placed first for the final and won convincingly in a time of 2:15.24, over two seconds ahead of second place, in another long course PB.
Tom also competed in the 50m fly, 50m, 200m and 400m free and 400m individual medley to round off a busy season of club, district, national and international meets, with the knowledge that his TASC club backstroke records are now British level qualifying times.
Like his older brother, Jed Armitage (15) competed in eight events across this national competition, qualifying in the fly, back and freestyle strokes at 50m, 100m and 200m. He reached finals in the 200m fly, 50m back and 200m back where he held his place to finish eighth – a fine achievement at this level of competition.
Swimming in the 14-year age group, Emily MacDougall’s highlight was also in the 200m backstroke event where between the heats and the finals she improved by one-and-a-half seconds to win the Scottish silver medal in a new PB of 2:34.15 – a tremendous achievement at the end of an intense period of training and competition.
Emily also achieved a finals swim in her 100m back, finishing in ninth place. Her other events were the 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle.
Keira Bain was invited to swim in four events in the 17/18 age group – 50m, 100m and 200m fly and 400m IM. Keira qualified for the final in the 200m fly and finished seventh in the 400m IM.
Megan Mackay was the final member of TASC competing at the Scottish Summer Meet as part of the composite Highland Swim Team performance squad, and was invited to swim in the 200m fly.
Edward Mills and Aiden Williamson were unable to attend.
TASC head coach Kirsty Mackay, who supported the team poolside, said: “It was an amazing weekend away with our swimmers and a fantastic experience for them to swim alongside the likes of Duncan Scott. I am hugely proud of all of my swimmers' achievements over this weekend."
