College reach final in national school championships

ELIZABETH COLLEGE managed to qualify for a final in the English Schools' Swimming Association's secondary schools team championships. College and a team of girls from the Grammar School took part in the event at the Neptune Centre in Middlesbrough.

'It was a fantastic weekend with the highest quality of swimming, national records being broken in nearly every event,' said Brian Allen, teacher responsible for swimming at Elizabeth College.

'It was a great experience for our Channel Island swimmers to be swimming against the best in England.'

The college under-14 team of Joshua Lewis, Matthew Allen, James Jurkiewicz and Edward Dickinson qualified for the final of the 50m medley relay after placing eighth of 10 teams in 2.13.42.

In the final they improved their position by one place, but were nearly half-a-second slower, 10 seconds behind Millfield, who dominated the day.

In the freestyle relay, the college placed ninth of 11 teams in 1.57.57.

The college team also met Alexander Beaton, who left Elizabeth College to move to Millfield, where he was captain of the junior team which won its freestyle and medley events.

The Grammar team - Zoe Elliott, Rachel Le Page, Lauren Judge and Anna Le Poidevin - placed last of the 12 qualifiers in the girls' 14/15 age group in a time of 2.02.81. Tormead School from Guildford won.

Ladies' College also qualified for one of the finals but decided not to travel.

Both Guernsey teams were sponsored by Fletcher Sports.