The Wallace High School Swimming squad bring home a very large haul of medals from the Ulster Grammar School Championships. Six individual and twelve relay medals were won by the Clonevin Park school in a comprehensive display of sporting and competitive swimming.
Year Twelve pupil Lisa McLernon demonstrated a good sprinting technique to come second in the 50m freestyle dash whilst Sarah Stevenson, competing in her first Schools’ Gala, showed great promise and has the potential to develop into an excellent swimmer.
Both Tess Stewart and Anna Dornan are now experienced competitors. The Boys’ Team again performed superbly, with Logan McCallan demonstrating an amazing level of fitness. Having played rugby for Wallace High’s Medallion squad on the morning of the gala, he arrived at the pool with only fifteen minutes to spare and went on to qualify for the final with confidence. Winning a silver in the fly and a bronze in the individual medley as well as his team haul meant Logan enjoyed a superb sporting day.
The Junior Boys’ team – Chris Rowland, Adam Matthews and Jamie Clements won silver in the Medley and bronze in the freestyle. On an individual level, Chris came 6 th in his backstroke event whilst Jamie was reserve finalist in his fly. Year 8 pupil Adam Matthews, competing against boys two years older, came 5th in the breaststroke final. This was a fantastic achievement and clearly Adam has a talent worth nurturing.
At Intermediate boys’ level, Josh Clements won silver in the 50m breaststroke – his stroke rate is very well suited to this distance. Robbie McFaul was 4th in the same event. Josh capped a fine, disciplined swim in the individual medley, his breaststroke leg making all the difference as he scooped gold.
Gareth Moore, having competed for Ireland last year, had been struggling to return to form from injury. A broken leg forced him out of training for several weeks. However recovering from injury and back to full fitness could take up to six months yet he acquitted himself well at the gala, taking a fifth in the fly and 4th in the IM.
The Intermediate boys’ swam up to senior level to make a team with Lower Sixth pupil Stefan Fosca in the senior relay events. They were third in the Medley and 4th in the Freestyle team relays. Stefan, competing for Wallace for the first time, is no stranger to competitive swimming having represented his previous school Banbridge academy before joining Wallace’s Sixth Form.
All in all this was a superb day’s swimming for Wallace and thanks must go to Barry Clements and Steven Yamin Ali for their efforts with the squad.
Last modified: October 16, 2007
