National County Championships 2005

16 October 2005

Reading SC was strongly represented at the National County Championships at Sheffield's Ponds Forge pool on Sunday. Seven swimmers coached by Graeme Thomas and David Wittig in the club's top two squads were in the 24-strong Berks and South Bucks team seeking to build on last season's promotion to the top level of national short-course sprint swimming.

The twin counties put their five years in Division 2 firmly behind them with an excellent 12th spot in the 20-team Division 1 as Lancashire won the trophy for the fourth year in succession.

Indicating the big jump in standards between the divisions, two of the three teams promoted along with Berks and South Bucks in 2004 – Notts and Gloucestershire - were relegated.

Leona Jones was Reading's highest ranked swimmer, with fourth place in the 16/17 100m breaststroke in 1.14.56, while Kristina Paige was next best as seventh out of 20 in the 13/14 100m fly.

The best relay effort involving a Reading swimmer came in the 14/15 girls' medley, where Louisa Downs led off Wycombe trio Katie Ambridge, Anna Jemielity and Cordelia Wilson as the four returned seventh-fastest.

Reading county representatives: Adam Barrett, Garry Dixon, Louisa Downs, Ashley James, Leona Jones, Kristina Paige and Emma Zadrozny.

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