Second gold for swimmer Sarah at national championships

Shetland swimmer Sarah Williamson claimed her second gold medal of the Scottish National Age Group Championships on Saturday.

She was victorious in the 12 years girls’ 200 metres breaststroke final, repeating her success of the previous day in the 100m breaststroke.

Sarah, representing the Lerwick club, had qualified a full two seconds faster than the next fastest swimmer but in the final she did not have it all her own way. Sarah led for the first 150 metres only to see Kayley Davidson from Falkirk take the lead on the final turn. Sarah showed great character as she just seem to up another gear to the finish and take the gold, improving her time by a further three seconds.

Earlier in the day Amy Harper of the Lerwick club took the silver medal in the 16-18 years girls’ 800m freestyle, a lifetime best performance in this event. She went 20 seconds faster than her previous best, finishing in a time of 9.28.72.

Felix Gifford of Delting Dolphins, another gold medal winner on Friday, took bronze in the 100m butterfly, losing out on the silver medal by two tenths of a second. However, his time was a personal best.

Megan Petursdottir of Lerwick swam well to finish eighth in the 13 years girls’ 100m breaststroke final, while team mate Andrea Strachan was 10th in the final of the 16-18 girls’ 100m breaststroke.

Craig Nicolson, also from Lerwick, continued his good form in the 15 years boys’ 400m individual medley, improving his personal best by four seconds to finish 10th overall.

On Sunday 13-year-old Donnie Price from the South Mainland club rounded off a successful weekend by taking silver in the 13 years boys’ 800m freestyle, adding to his gold in the 1,500m and bronze in the 400m.

A team spokesman said swimming in Shetland had hit new heights over the four days of competition.

He said: “Over 750 athletes achieved the qualifying the tough qualifying times for this event from throughout Scotland, this makes the achievements of the 10 swimmers from Shetland all the more impressive. Many of the swimmers we are competing are member various Scottish and British senior and youth squads.”

Swimmers taking part for Lerwick were Amy Harper, Andrea Strachan, Callum Macgregor, Craig Nicolson, Sarah Williamson and Megan Petursdottir, along with head coach Petur Petursson, assistant Jim Robertson and team manager Sheila Williamson.

Representing Delting Dolphins were Felix Gifford, Jake Swanson and Arwin Raikes, with coach Lorraine Gifford, while from the South Mainland Donnie Price was accompanied by his mother and coach Jan.

For full details see this week’s Shetland Times.