Records tumble as Dolphins trio shine (From Bournemouth Echo)

Records tumble as Dolphins trio shine

4:00pm Wednesday 18th March 2009 in

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BOURNEMOUTH Dolphins Amelia Maughan, Martin Littlefair and Joe Poynter boosted their hopes of international selection after hitting record-breaking form at two top level meets.

Between them, the young trio smashed four Dorset county records in as many days to stake their claims for places in national teams.

At the British Championships in Sheffield, 12-year-old Maughan edged closer to a trip to the European Youth Olympic Festival in Finland this summer with times of 26.86 and 26.95 in the heats and semi-finals of the women’s 50m freestyle.

She was the youngest in the semi-finals by two years, finishing 15th, and the only under 13 swimmer in the top 42.

Her heat time also took more than a second off a Dorset junior long-course record jointly held since 1997 by Sarah Hunt (Ferndown) and Michelle Frayn (Dolphins).

Maughan was also the youngest swimmer in a 200m freestyle which featured Olympic medallists and world record holders Rebecca Adlington and Jo Jackson among the 46 starters.

Maughan this time slashed 1.67 seconds off her previous best to come 37th in 2:07.32.

Dolphins coach Graham Bassi believes a similar show in the 100m freestyle today will seal her selection for the European event even though she is competing against girls a year older.

He was less confident about Littlefair’s chances of selection, however, despite his stunning form on the first two days of the championships.

Littlefair – 16 last week – clocked 4:05.00 in the men’s 400m freestyle to knock seven seconds off his Dorset senior record for 29th place. Then he recorded a two-second PB in the 200m freestyle to finish 38th in 1:55.49.

Bassi said: “Both swam superbly and are in contention for the European event although I’m not sure Martin has quite done enough.”

Ferndown’s Naomi Vides and Fran Hughes came 24th and 27th respectively in the women’s 100m breaststroke in 1:14.45 and 1:15.11.

Meanwhile, at the WISE home nations international against Wales, Ireland and Scotland in Swansea, 14-year-old Joe Poynter was named the England team’s swimmer of the meet after winning the junior 200m individual medley in 2:13.80.

The time ranks him number one in Britain for his age and makes him a contender for selection for the World Schools Games in Qatar in December.

It also took 2.5 seconds off his Dorset junior record.

Pointer also took more than two seconds off Littlefair’s Dorset junior record as he came fourth – behind three 17-year-olds – in the open 400m freestyle in 4:09.85.

Christchurch and New Milton Seagulls retained the ‘top club’ trophy after amassing 500 points at the Dorset Masters Championships at Rossmore.

The tally put them more than 100 points ahead of runners-up Poole and almost 150 above third-placed Bournemouth Dolphins.

The meet marked competitive comebacks for 26-year-olds Richard Smiles (Dolphins), whose last Dorset senior record from his teen years was only recently erased, and breaststroker Ryan Kusminoff (Poole).

Smiles’s 200m freestyle time of 1:59.78 won him both the men’s individual awards for the best swim measured in GB points and the swim closest to the world masters record.

Poole’s Sarah Meaker won the trophy for the fastest female swim with 28.05 in the 50m freestyle while Dolphins’ Jenny Ellison came closest to the world record with 4:54.92 in the 25-29yrs 400m freestyle.

Poole dominated the relays with seven wins from 12 races.

Club result: 1 Seagulls 500, 2 Poole 387, 3 Bournemouth Dolphins 357, 4 Ferndown 179, 5 Littledown 63, 6 Wareham 48, 7 Weyport 47, 8 W Dorset 39, 9 Bridport Barracudas 25, 10 Bere Regis 24, 11 East Dorset OWC 16.

Seagulls’ Michael Jones, who has cerebral palsy, returned with two silver and four bronze medals after recording personal best times in all nine of his events at the Disability National Championships at Sheffield.