Marjon Aquatics travelled to Ponds Forge, Sheffield, for the first time this year to compete in the BUCS short course championships. Our swimmers achieved 11 personal bests, showcasing strong potential for the meets in the new year.
The weekend began with a series of 200m races, including the individual medley and the freestyle. Marjon had one swimmer in each race, both of whom laid down impressive times.
The 100 backstroke followed this, with another two Marjon swimmers putting in solid times. The day finished with 4 heats of the 50 metres breaststroke and another string of PBs.
Day 2 started with the 100 metres freestyle, where Marjon sadly suffered a disqualification after illegal movement on the starting blocks; however, the remainder of the event was filled with success as 4 more PBs were achieved. More sprints followed, with 50 metres butterfly and 100 metres breaststroke.
The final day was Marjon’s most successful day, as they qualified for the B final in the 200 metres Butterfly. Marjon also had much success in the 50 metres freestyle, with the majority of our swimmers achieving PBs again.
The final races of the Meet were the 50 metres backstroke and the 100 metres Individual Medley, where Marjon once again impressed, showing potential for the rest of the season.
Ben Greenslade spoke on the promising performances, saying, “Improvements can be made … but performances were generally strong across the board.” Similar comments were made by team captain Sam Popham, saying he was “proud to lead the team to an impressive BUCS.”
The next meet for Team Marjon will be the BUCS long-course championship in February, for which the squad has already begun training. Coach Ben has implemented new strategies and incentives for the team, such as a “Quote of the Day” and “Swimmer of the Session,” to inspire the team and boost individual morale.
Ponds Forge was a significant event for the fresher heavy aquatics team, demonstrating that there is certainly a strong future ahead for this team.
