By Cesca Baguley
Although this competition occurred in March, Vision feels that the swimming club’s success hasn’t received the media attention it deserves; here’s Cesca Baguley, a swimming squad member, with her report on the events of the BUCS national team shield final.
York swimmers won a bronze medal in the competition, which was held in Loughborough. On the team’s first appearance in these finals for several years, the medals were the first piece of silverware that the University of York Swimming and Water Polo Club (UYSWC) has ever seen.
The team had qualified for the final after the regional gala back in November, when the team finished second. The men’s 4×50 medley relay set the day off to a good start gaining third place finish behind Cardiff and Glasgow. After this, in the individual events, Alice Cary achieved a second place finish the 100m freestyle with a time of 1.01.0. Later, in the 100m butterfly she gained a first place finish swimming an impressive 1.08.0, and another first place in the 50m butterfly in 29.37 seconds. Michael Tansini placed third in the men’s butterfly with his time of 1.03.0 while Jon Beardsley gained third place in the 50m butterfly with his time of 28.44. In the backstroke events UYSWC were especially strong. Kim Briscoe accomplished more valuable points with a second place finish in the 100m backstroke with a time of 1.15.0, and Elliot Thurland placing third with a time of 1.05.21. Kim Briscoe also gained another third place for the team in the 50m backstroke.
Before the last 2 events, the 4×50 freestyle relays, York was lying in third place just 8 points in front of Leeds 2nds. But, the teams managed to pull off two amazing swims and hold onto the bronze medal position; the girls came in fourth with a time of 2.01.8, a new club record, and the boys finished with a time of 1:43.31. UYSWC finished with an impressive 138 points in third place medal position behind Cardiff and Glasgow respectively. Chris Unsworth, UYSWC President, commented on the incredible performance of the team; “I’m so happy with the team today. If someone had told me this time last year that the club would have done anywhere near this well, I wouldn’t have listened to a word they were saying.”
The team has now been promoted up into the second division for the regional qualifier next year where it will face tough competition from the likes of Lancaster, Northumbria and Durham 2nds. Unsworth said, “The competition next year will be exceedingly difficult to race against, but if we continue to improve as we have, and if we’re lucky with freshers next year, who knows.”