Scottish National Age Group Championships – 10th to 14th April 2024

Seven Fins’ swimmers qualified for the top age group competition in Scotland, held in the 10 lane 50m pool at the Aberdeen Sports Village from 10^th to 14^th April 2024.

Unfortunately, there were no medal winners, on this occasion, although two swimmers just missed out. The swimmers contested a total of 31 swims, 15 of which resulted in progression to the finals, or equivalent, as the 800m and 1500m freestyle, in all age categories, and all the 400m events in the two younger age categories were heat declared events.

The swimmers also recorded 25 long course PBs with the three largest coming from Adam Selbie, 14 years boys, 32.89 seconds off his 400m freestyle 9.11 seconds off his 200m backstroke, and 8.79 seconds off his 200m freestyle.

Fins top achiever was Ethan Pate, 11 to 13 years, who was 4^th in the 1500m freestyle, 6^th in both the 800m freestyle and 200m butterfly, and 10^th in the 400m individual Medley. Ethan’s other swims saw him finish 11^th – 400m freestyle; 12^th – 200m freestyle, 13^th – 200m individual medley, and 14^th – 100m butterfly.

The other swimmer to just miss out on a medal was Adam who was 4^th in the 200m backstroke. He was also 7^th in the 100m backstroke and 10^th in the 400m freestyle. Adam’s other swims were 13^th – 200m freestyle, 14^th – 400m individual medley and 18^th – 200m individual medley.

Kristin Mackay, 16 years girls, had four top 10 placings, finishing 5^th in the 1500m freestyle, 7^th in the 400m freestyle, 8^th in the 400m individual medley and 10^th in the 200m butterfly. Kirstin also finished 12^th in the 200m breaststroke.

Also, with 4 top 10 finished was Caleb Gray, 11 to 13 boys, who was 6^th in the 1500m freestyle, 8^th in the 800m freestyle and 9^th in both the 400m individual medley and the 200m butterfly. Caleb’s other swims were 13^th – 400m freestyle, 14tj – 200m freestyle, and 18^th 200m individual medley.

The remaining three swimmers finished as follows:

Irys Blair, 14 girls, 16^th – 200m backstroke, 21^st – 100m backstroke

Lilian Blair, 11 to 13 girls, 29^th – 200m breaststroke, 34^th – 100m breaststroke. However, Lilian is still a 12 year old and was 4^th 12 year old in both events.

Steven Pate, 17/18 boys, 31^st – 200m breaststroke.

Irys, Ethan, Steven, and Adam

Club Information

As mentioned earlier in the report there were 25 long course PBs recorded at SNAGS, which in turn means movement and entries in the developing long course top 50 rankings, and there were some swims where, despite the swimmer achieving a PB, it was not accompanied by a movement in the rankings.

This was certainly the case with the swimmer who moved to the highest position in the rankings, Adam, who recorded a PB in all six swims, moving from 10^th place to 4^th in the 200m backstroke, from 14^th to  9^th in the 200m freestyle, 13^th to 9^th in the 400m freestyle, and entered the 400m individual medley in 10^th place, as this was the first time he competed in the event in a long course setting.

The next highest position was achieved by Ethan. In fact, he had two entries in 6^th place, and they came in the 800m and 1500m freestyle. Ethan moved from 8^th to 7^th in the 200m butterfly with an 8.24 second PB. He had another entry in the 400m individual medley in 12^th place, and moved from 20^th to 14^th in the 200m freestyle and from 20^th to 19^th in the 200m individual medley.

Another swimmer with two entries was Caleb, who is 7^th in both the 800m and 1500m freestyle. Caleb moved from 10^th to 9^th in the 200m butterfly with a 7.12 second PB, he also entered in 11^th place in the 400m individual medley, and 12^th in the 400m freestyle, and a final movement from 19^th to 15^th in the 200m freestyle.

Irys moved from 24^th to 15^th in the 100m backstroke, with a 6.01 second PB

Lilian entered in 15^th in the 200m breaststroke.

Ken White

Club Press Officer