Smith reflects on successful series
Sharks Swim Club head coach Ben Smith has reflected on a his team’s impressive performances at the Best of Best Series following last weekend’s competition finale.All three of the Island clubs Sharks, Dolphins and Harbour Swim took part in the Series which saw some of the Bermuda’s top swimmers go head-to-head.Smith, who is also the national team coach, hopes to Sandys 360 join the Series in the future as they continue to build their programme.“Nick Patterson and Jesse Washington coming off their strong swimming at the Carifta Championship continued to show improvement in the fly events. Nicholas lowered his records in both the 200 and 100 metre butterfly in his last meet in the 15 and 16 age group,” Smith said. “Lisa Blackburn fresh off her record setting performances overseas continued her improvement with a new record in the 100 individual medley and in the 50 breaststroke. I was encouraged by the way she swam the 50 breast in particular as she seems to be getting the speed at the right time in her preparation for World qualification.”The Harbour Swim Club swimmers secured two new age group 4 x 50m medley relay records in the third and final meet of the Best of the Best Series. In the boys eight and under age group, the quartet of Matthew Nagel, Jack Thorpe, Jayson Hassell and Jack Harvey set a new record with a time of four minutes, 1.70 seconds, chopping almost 48 seconds off of the previous record.In the girls nine and 10 age group, Ashley Irby, Kerry Palmer, Emma Harvey and Alyssa Paynter smashed their own relay record set last year by over 13 seconds, with a new time of 2:52.29.Emma Harvey won all three of her races as well as achieving the ASCA “A” standard in these events. TIn the girls 11 and 12 age group, Shannon Hassell won all three of her races and achieved an “A” standard in the 100m backstroke. In the same age group for boys, Charlie achieved “A” standards in 100m freestyle and backstroke. Tyler Smith had a strong swim in the 200m backstroke and secured a “AA” standard.Finally, in the boys 15 and over age group, Dejan Wellman won the 100m freestyle event, dipping under the minute for the first time and achieving a “A” standard.Barry Hanson, from the Dolphin Swim Team, said he was impressed with his team’s showing and enjoyed the exciting race in the 1500m between Dolphin swimmers, Olivia Moore and Emily Cowan.