Thorpe and Hardie reap gold harvest (From Bournemouth Echo)

Thorpe and Hardie reap gold harvest

3:42pm Wednesday 2nd December 2009 in

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HARRY Thorpe and Fiona Hardie struck gold 11 times between them to lead a medal bonanza as Bournemouth and Ferndown swimmers further cemented their newfound alliance in Cardiff’s 50m pool.

Thorpe (Dolphins) and Hardie (Otters) were among 52 swimmers from the two clubs who notched a total of 64 medals at the Welsh Capital Open Meet, 25 of them gold.

The two clubs, already competing in united teams in the Arena League, again donned matching kit and acted as a team in every way except name.

Thorpe scooped six of the best, winning the 14yrs 50m, 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle and the 50m and 100m backstroke.

He also enjoyed the bonus of an early-season qualifying time for next summer’s national age group championships, courtesy of his 400m freestyle effort of 4:29.8.

Hardie, 15, was in the form of her life, perhaps helped by the Blueseventy bodysuit she was wearing for the first time.

This is likely to be among the hundreds of banned suits from January 1 but its wearer has already secured three national times on her way to five gold medals and one silver at Cardiff.

Her wins came in the 100m freestyle, backstroke and butterfly and the 200m and 400m individual medley and she came second in the 50m butterfly.

Dan Speers (Dolphins) was another major contributor to the medal tally, taking gold in the 12yrs 50, 100 and 200m freestyle and 50m breaststroke and silver in the 100m and 200m butterfly.

Todd Price (Otters) won four medals in the 13yrs age group – gold in the 200m and 400m medley, silver in the 200m butterfly and bronze in the 100m fly.

Jack Burton (Dolphins) twice visited the top step of the podium after winning the 13yrs 50m and 100m breaststroke.

Lucy Kirkham (Otters) won gold in the 13yrs 50m and 100m freestyle and silver in the 50m breaststroke.

Ferndown 17-year-olds Marika Rolt and Ben Fellows each won one gold and two silver medals, Rolt’s winnings coming in the 400m freestyle (gold) and the 100m and 200m free, Fellows’s in the 50m backstroke (gold) and the 100m and 200m back.

Danielle Thwaites (Dolphins) won a medal of each colour – gold in the 13yrs 200m butterfly, silver in the 400m medley and bronze in the 100m fly – all in regional qualifying times.

Eleven-year-old Bradley Currie (Dolphins) added to the gold tally with his win in the 800m freestyle in 10:39.38.

Other medallists: Jack Thorpe 2nd 100m breast, 3rd 100m free, 3rd 400m free. Chris Lawson 2nd 50m breast. Rachel Hawkins 3rd 800m free. Louis Bridet 2nd 1500m free. Tess Carter 2nd 1500m free. Mikey Kingsley 3rd 50m back. Noah Vides 2nd 50m breast, 3rd 100m breast. Chris Wignall 3rd 50m back. Luke Raggett 2nd 200m fly. Elisabeth Hood 3rd 100m free. Bethany Hebditch 3rd 100m and 200m breast. Scott Denham 3rd 200m back. Chris Parsons-Lowey 3rd 50m fly.

• Christchurch and New Milton Seagulls’ water polo academy squads made a flying start to their Dorset League season, winning all three age group matches against Blandford Flyers.

Seagulls’ Key Stage Two squad overwhelmed a young and inexperienced Blandford side 9-0 after controlling the pool from the early stages.

The KS3 side faced a tougher encounter but their greater swimming fitness told in the closing stages and they ran out with a slightly flattering 12-0 scoreline.

The junior match was more closely contested.

Seagulls – down to only nine fit players – never found their rhythm and were the first to concede.

They faced a further onslaught from Blandford in the third quarter but held on to their lead, which they extended to 10-4 by the end.

Seagulls teams, KS2: Harrison Mullins, Sarah Rogers, Katherine Rogers, Christian Tai, Alice Tai, Shania Todd, Spencer Wilks, Nathan Wickens, Edward Stephenson.

Academy squad: Kyle East, Megan Fletcher, Beth Kingsley, Mikey Kingsley, Cianan Mann, Jackson Mullins, Chloe Roxburgh, Charlie Roberts, James Stephenson.

Junior squad: David Gallagher, Joe Foale-Groves, Taylor Priest, Ali Rogers, James Rogers, Anand Vathilingham, Connor Sleightholme, Sam Webber, Elliot Wilks.

• Christchurch and New Milton Seagulls swimmers Mikey Jones and Simon Price had successful outings at the disability national championships in Sheffield.

S7 swimmer Jones achieved top 10 finishes in all eight of his events and topped his performances with a bronze medal in the 50m backstroke, despite being one of the youngest in his category.

He was also fourth in the 100m medley and 100m backstroke, fifth in the 100m breaststroke, seventh in the 50m and 400m freestyle and eighth in the 50m fly.

Jones has also been offered a place at Kelly College in Devon, who have produced a succession Paralympic swimmers.

The more experienced Price, swimming in the S14 category for intellectual disabilities, came sixth in the 50m backstroke, ninth in the 50m breaststroke, 12th in the 100m backstroke and 19th in the 100m freestyle.