Thurso's Cartwright breaks 25-year-old club record
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A SQUAD of twenty nine Thurso Amateur Swimming Club members travelled to Inverness earlier this month to take part in the Highland Swim Team summer meet.
This competition gave swimmers the opportunity to update personal bests, record times for events where they did not previously have a time, or to achieve accredited times for district and national level competitions – and they did not disappoint.
In total 70 personal bests were achieved along with three club records. Jordan Bain achieved a new record of 2.53.11 in the 11 years 200m backstroke, while Emma Budge added the 12
Thurso were strongly represented in the 10-and-under age group. Alex Mackay (8) was competing in her first away competition and despite her initial nerves she swam well, most notably in the 50m free and the 100m individual medley.
Euan Macgregor (8) gained an eight-second PB in the 50m breaststroke, while Dean Davidson (8) and Mark McCoustra (8) achieved fantastic times in the 50m free, Dean improving by over six seconds. Megan Smith (10) swam well in her first attempts at the 100m free and 100m back. Eight-year-old Ross Mackie’s 50m free was an excellent 12 second PB. Jack Gunn (8) also swam well in the 50m free.
Ryan Sinclair (10) achieved good PBs in 50m breast and 100m IM. Alix Mackay (9) gained 15 second PBs in both the 100m breaststroke and 100m free. Gabrielle Macgregor (10) was another to record over a 15 second PB in 100m free (1.26.44) while Eve Nicoll put in a good swim for her first attempt at the 200m free.
Taylor Davidson (10) swam well to achieve good PBs in 200m free (2.47.71) and 100m IM (1.31.22). Lyle Cormack (10) swam well in his first attempt at the 100m free. Neave Macleod (9) achieved good PBs in the 50m back and 100m breaststroke. Stephen Forbes (10) did well in his first 100m swims in breaststroke, back and free. Euan Macdonald (9) recorded fantastic PBs in the 200m free and 100m free and he also swam the 200m IM for the first time, finishing in 3.33.47.
In the 11-and-over age group in the opening event of the day, the 400m free, Rachel Swanson (14) improved her PB and Isla Cartwright (13) recorded a time of 5.33.42, which was over 16 seconds faster than her previous best.
Twelve-year-old Lucy MacDonald’s best swim was in the 100m IM, where she improved her time by over six seconds to finish in 1.27.96. Mark Budge’s (16) 100m free swim saw him finishing in a PB time of 1.06.48.
Emma Budge’s (13) biggest PB came in the 800m free where she took over eight seconds off her best to finish in a time of 10.00.08. She also recorded a good PB in her 200m IM. Morven Macleod (11) swam a seven second PB in the 100m free.
As well as achieving a PB in the 50m breaststroke, Ranald Cartwright (20) also produced PBs in his other two swims – the 50m free and the100m breaststroke, rounding off a successful day for him. Jordan Bain achieved PBs in the 200m free and the 100m butterfly.
Katie Mackay (11) had a great 200m backstroke swim, finishing in a time of 2.58.54, and her 50m fly PB has taken her time down to 36.93. Lee Lockhart swam consistently well in the 100m back and the 100m IM, improving by over two seconds in each. He also had a solid swim in his first attempt at the 200m backstroke.
Fourteen-year-old Louise Sinclair’s best swim of the day came in the 100m IM where she finished in a time of 1.24.03, a good PB. Robbie McCoustra (11) swam well in his first attempt at 100m back and 100m free and Erin Gunn (11) just missed out on her 50m free PB on this occasion.
All in all a very successful day, giving the younger swimmers in particular good experience competing away from home and providing all swimmers with an opportunity to gain PBs.
