Local swimmers make a splash in superb season

Suzannah Brown, Oonagh O’Neill and Kirsty McHenry, who swim for Larne Swimming Club, have all exceeded expectations. All three year 8 girls have contributed immensely to the winning Division One PTL team.

Training is meticulously planned by head coach Raymond Skillen and delivered by him and the other extremely skilled and dedicated coaches at a variety of locations including Larne, Antrim, BRA (Belfast), Newtownabbey and this year at the Seven Towers Leisure Centre Ballymena.

Training trips to The NAC (National Aquatic Centre) in Dublin in the 50 metre pool have become a regular part of their training schedule.

A schedule which sees Kirsty train vigorously 4 times a week while Oonagh and Suzannah train 5-6 times a week as part of the High Performance Squad which includes the other top Ballymena swimmer Ryan Wray

Kirsty took part in a number of Open Gala’s this year, medalling on several occasions.

She has gone from strength to strength with her PB times on a downward spiral resulting in her achieving the necessary qualifying times for the Irish Age Groups Division 2 Championships being held in the University Arena, Limerick later this month.

Oonagh and Suzannah have travelled to galas in Dublin and Glasgow with Oonagh also travelling to Sheffield, at each event PB’s have been achieved and medals brought home cumulating in qualifying times being reached for the Irish Open Age Group Long Course Division One Championships in July 2011.

This is a progressive step from the Ulster Championships held earlier in the year where Oonagh set a new record in the 100m Backstroke and Suzannah and Oonagh excelled and were crowned Ulster Champions as part of the winning relay teams. The girls are delighted to be Ulster Champions and are looking forward to the challenge of the Division Ones.