Olympic Trials

Felix sets British Age Group record

Posted: Saturday 5th April 2008

Swiss swimmers were in sparkling form at the British Olympic trials in Sheffield.

Felix Samuels set a new British age group record as well as a Middlesex County Junior record (subject to ratification) in the boys 14 years with a time of 24.82, beating the record set by Tsubasa Nakagawa (from City of Leicester SC) in Manchester last year. Felix’s time obviously ranked him first place in the boys born 1993.

Also earning a first place ranking at the trials was Alex Mackay, fastest of the boys born in 1992 in 400m IM with a 9 second PB of 4.36.35, breaking the county junior record. Alex, who is earning a formidable reputation for his back-end speed finished with a fast 60.01 in the final 100m free, which clawed back 4.5 seconds on local rival Jonathan Quinn from Hatfield.

Alex’s highest overall ranking came in the 1500 freestyle where he came 11th with 16.03.18 (2nd in his age group) with a 24 second improvement from last summer’s nationals. This time is a new county junior and senior record for 1500m and for 800m on his split on the way through. 16 year old Alex also swam a personal best on the 400m freestyle (4.06.48) to finish 2nd 1992 boy and 1.56.63 on the 200m freestyle finishing 4th in his age group, both swims weree also junior County records.

Harry Needs had a busy schedule with 5 races at the trials. Jumping from 58.9 in the summer to 57.73 for the 100m fly, gave him a 3rd place ranking within his age group boys born 1992. Setting off at a blistering pace and turning in 26.76 at the 50m, proved that glory belongs to the brave. ‘There is definitely a 56 / 55 on the cards with a little more work on the back end of his swim’, claims Dave Hobbs, his coach.

Harry achieved PB’s on 100m back (61.89) and 200m IM (2.12.72), with 3rd out of 1992 born swimmers in the IM. He swam a narrow PB of 2.33.73 in 200m breaststroke. In 200m back, Harry performed a good personal best time of 2.14, but unfortunately he was disqualified on a technicality on the turn.

The 50m butterfly split the 100m butterfly and the 200m IM were also both junior county records for Harry Needs.

18 Year old Ed Walsh qualified for the Olympic Trials in both 50m and 100m freestyle and was in the form of his life. Breaking the magical 24 second barrier in 50m, he produced a time of 23.93 with an unusually slow start. Dave Hobbs feels it will not be long before Ed is looking at breaking 23.5 with his usual 0.7 second reaction time off the blocks. Saving the best to last, Ed smashed his 100m best time by almost 2 seconds, swimming the first 50m with a split of 24.73 to give him a time of 51.96 .

With a British Age group record, 12 Middlesex county long course records and 100% personal best times, the lads from Camden have set themselves up for an exciting summer of swimming.

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