Osborne eyes Commonwealth

MOST of Guernsey's best young swimmers achieved the medals they expected in the Channel Islands Championships at the weekend. Guernsey claimed 16 of the fastest seniors' times to Jersey's 18, with half the Guernsey haul falling to Thomas Hollingsworth.

Beau Sejour Barracudas had two other record breakers in their ranks.

Jeremy Osborne, still only 14, set a new record in the 100m freestyle of 53.86sec., three seconds inside the old mark, and an age group record in the 50m free. He also had the fastest time for the 200m breaststroke.

The youngster is by no means assured of an Island Games place, but he admitted he was setting his sights on the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Australia.

'I'm not sure about selection and I don't know what the competition will be like, but it would be good experience,' he said.

'I'm trying to get to the Commonwealths but I also just try and do as well as I can. This competition is good to see how you're going, but we've got the Hampshire county competitions coming up and I'm looking to win there.'

Osborne also set new age group records in the 200m freestyle, where he took eight seconds off his time of 12 months ago, and the 100m individual medley.

Middle-distance specialist Jonathon Le Noury also achieved a record time in the 200m freestyle and recorded the fastest time in the 400m, though it was slightly off his personal best.

Coach Alison Frankland welcomed the return to form of a man she described as one of the island's most outstanding freestylers.

'I didn't really come into this event thinking I was going to swim that well,' said Le Noury, 20.

'Obviously we had a lot of time off before Christmas and I tried to get in the gym a lot. But with the Island Games coming up, I don't want to peak too early.'

Le Noury, who has an Island Games bronze from 2001 and 2003 in the 1,500m freestyle, will be aiming to go better in the Shetlands in July.

Matthew Robert also managed a top time in the 50m breaststroke, with 32.63sec.

The Guernsey Swimming Club's top senior performers were girls Christine Hume and Sophie Castle.

Hume, 16, recorded best times in the 50m and 100m breaststroke, but was disappointed with her weekend.

'I hoped for PBs but I didn't get them, but you can't expect too much at this time of the season.'

Her season will revolve around the Island Games and earning national qualification times.

Castle was fastest in the 100m individual medley. 'She swam a great first 50, in fact we thought she'd gone out a bit too fast,' said GSC coach Jo Winberg.

The major disappointment for Sarnian swimming was Ben Lowndes' absence from the pool after the first evening of competition.

'Ben's got a chest infection and will probably be out of the water for a week now,' said Winberg.

'It would have been nice for him to get some qualifying times out of the way this weekend. Now he's got only three more meetings before the Island Games - three more opportunities to get those times.

'I know he was desperate to swim, but he just didn't have it. On the first event he just died on the last length.'

Lowndes took part only in the 200m butterfly. His 50m split times started at 28.44sec. but pushed out to 36.65 for the final lengths, though he still managed to shave 0.17sec. off the age-group record he set last year.