Fins’ swimmers maintained their excellent start to 2019 in their first long course event of the year, Brodies Scottish Schools Swimming Championships, held last Saturday at the Tollcross International Swim Centre, Glasgow, and none more so than 13 year old Erin Taylor who became Fins’ first Scottish Schools Champion for over 15 years.

It is difficult to qualify for the Championships in the first instance with swimmers being allowed to compete in a maximum of two events and with only the top 20 times, recorded at the educational regions’ events, throughout Scotland in November/December, qualifying. The exception to this is the 17 to 19 years where only the top 10 times are accepted.

Seven Fins’ swimmers made it to Glasgow and competed in twelve swims, achieving one medal of each colour plus a further seven top 10 finishes including four 4th placings.

Top swimmer for Fins was Erin Taylor, Balwearie HS, who is now the Scottish Schools 13/14 girls 200m Butterfly Champion which she achieved with a 5.00 second, long course, PB which was also Fins’ top PB of the Championships.  The second top PB, of 4.80 seconds, was also achieved by Erin, this time in the 200m Breaststroke, winning a silver medal on this occasion.

Fins other medallist was Caitlyn Dodds, 17/19 girls, from Auchmuty HS, who won a bronze medal in the 100m Backstroke and just finished outside the medals with a 4th place in the 200m Backstroke.

Gaining two 4th places was Theo Goodfellow, 17/19 boys, from Balwearie HS, who was 4th in both the 100m and 200m Breaststroke.

Also gaining a 4th place was Neža Dolenc-Luznar, 15/16 girls, from Balwearie HS, who was 4th in her 100m Freestyle as she moved closer to the 1 minute barrier with a very good time of 1 minute 1.13 seconds. Neža also had the third best PB of the day when she reduced her 200m Freestyle time by 4.43 seconds to finish in 8th place.

Esme Lee, 13/14 girls, from Balwearie HS, who is at the wrong end of the double age grouping, did extremely well to gain a 9th place in the 200m Breaststroke considering she will not be 13 until October and she also recorded a good PB.

Sophie Juskowiak, 13/14 girls, from Bell Baxter HS, was the final top 10 finisher when she finished 10th in the 200m Backstroke.

The only swimmer not to gain a top 10 finish was Steven Hardie, 12/U boys, from Cardenden PS. However, personally Steven did exceptionally well. This was his first time in a meet of this magnitude and just qualified in 20th place. Steven had never competed in a long course pool prior to Saturday, and has not really swum in many competitions at all, to date, but managed to move up six places to finish in 14th place in the 50m Breaststroke.