Wick swimmers play their part for Highland Swim Team

WICK Amateur Swimming Club sent its biggest ever team to take part in the Scottish National Age Group championships (SNAGs) at Glasgow's Tollcross centre.

Emma Mill, Lewis Sutherland, John Mackay, Charlie Sutherland and Chester Henry made the selection criteria and spent five days competing against the best Scottish and international age group swimmers around as part of the Highland Swim Team (HST).

The Wick swimmers contributed greatly to the best ever performance from the HST at this event, finishing in 18th place out of the 105 teams taking part.

Emma Mill had a superb SNAGs – making finals in 100 fly (1.07.88), 50 fly (29.77) and 50 fc (28.34) finishing fourth, fifth and sixth respectively She was also part of the girls' 4x100 medley relay team that finished eighth overall but the fifth-placed Scottish team.

Lewis Sutherland did fantastically well to make finals in 50 fc (27.75), 100 f/c (59.80) and 200 f/c (2.12.34), finishing eighth, ninth and eighth overall.

John Mackay – taking part in his first SNAGS – also joined Lewis in the finals of the 50 f/c (27.48) and 100 f/c (1.01.41), finishing 10th on both occasions – a remarkable achievement with Wick the only club represented by two swimmers in these national finals,

Charlie Sutherland, another SNAGS debutant, swam the 50 f/c (30.49), 100 breast (1:27.67) and the 4x 100 medley relay making PBs in each event Chester Henry swam a superb PB in the 50 breast (36.07) to finish 23rd overall.

The HST boys' 4 x 100 f/c relay team was made up of three Caithness-based swimmers with Louis Pickering (1:01.62) from Thurso joining Wick team-mates Lewis Sutherland (59.72) and John Mackay (1:01.46) along with Lucas Weir (57.86) of Nairn.

The boys had a fantastic tussle in their heat, finishing second behind Carnegie Swimming Club. This all bodes well for the future with the three Caithness lads eligible for the same age group relay next year.

Wick and HST coach Allan Sutherland said: "It was a fantastic rollercoaster week for all our swimmers. The athletes conducted themselves superbly, swam their hearts out and have had a great experience swimming and competing against future team GB Olympians.

"Who knows, maybe one or two of these youngsters will make the Team GB one day too – they are certainly talented enough."

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