ESP Aquatics are tops for the first time in decades
It was ESP Esselen Park/Kempton's first overall win at a major event in decades
ESP Kempton Aquatics has, for the first time in decades, won a major event when they came out tops at the Ekurhuleni District Winter Short Course Championship.
Twenty-four clubs, primarily from Gauteng, competed in the first Ekurhuleni District Winter Short Course Championship and all the winter training has paid off.
ESP has scored high in recent events but this was the first win in decades. The event took place over two full days and all the events were swum in heats which preceded the finals.
Finalists were selected from the top eight times. Several swimmers swam all 10 events and finaled for many. ESP swimmers won 11 gold medals, three silver and 12 bronze.
The points were scored in the 106 final swims the swimmers qualified for. Only finalists in the top eight score points for the club and only the first two swimmers per club (maximum 2 club swimmers) score points. This makes achieving a final vital.
The ESP team shone bright. They had 15 newbies competing in their first champs.
Kyle Mckenzie, Ashleigh Stock and Savannah Mitchell were the stars of the team.
Savannah finaled in all eight of the events she entered, winning six gold, one silver and a bronze medal. She now has four senior short course times under her belt, having swum the 100m breaststroke in 1.17:84 and 100 butterfly in 1.08:02.
She also qualified for the 50m butterfly and breaststroke. Her 200m breaststroke was .01 out.
Kyle, a breaststroke and Individual medley swimmer, posted a fast 1.03:34 for the 100m individual medley and 2.14.88 for the 200m individual medley (senior short course qualifying time).
The 15/16 age group was a powerful group at this meet. Kyle qualified for all 10 finals, winning three gold, one silver and one bronze medal.
Ashleigh reclaimed her breaststroke title, winning two gold medals (five finals).
Jessica Burgess won seven bronze and one silver medal (10 finals), Bernalee Doster won two bronze medals (six finals) and Colette Fourie one bronze medal (six finals).
Other finalists were Storm Ryder (9), Kerrin Burgess (8), Kent Field (8), Adrian Ristow (7), Nicholas Smith (6), Jonathan Smith (5), Savannah Sheerin (5), Murray Copeland (3), Morgan Corns (3), Chane van Rooyen (2), Ciaran Le Goff, Oyama and Clayton Malaza and Jody Copeland (all with one).
