Fran O'Connor's success at the National Short Course Disability Championships

held at Ponds Forge on the 1st & 2nd November 2008

Early Season Success for Wyre Forest Swimmers

 The new competitive season for two Wyre Forest Swimming Club members got under way last weekend.  Fran O’Connor and Claire Cashmore competed in the National Short Course Disability Swimming Championships, which were held at Ponds Forge, Sheffield on November 1^st and 2^nd.  The event was opened with a parade of Paralympic Champions and the home crowd greeted the Beijing medallists with rapturous applause. 

  Fran (17) and Claire (20) represented the West Midlands in very keenly contested races which resulted in many new British, European and World records being set.  Fran won a gold medal in the 100 metre Freestyle and the 50 metre Freestyle races, setting new British records in each.  Swimming in her first 400 metre Freestyle race at this level she lowered the old record by over 16 seconds when she stopped the clock in 6:06.26.  She also won a Bronze medal in the 50 metre Breaststroke in a time just outside her personal best. 

  Claire, fresh from her medal winning performance in Beijing, and having only recently resume training with her new club, City of Leeds, won Gold medals in the 100 metre Freestyle, 50 metre Breaststroke, 100 metre breaststroke, 200 metre Individual Medley, Silver medals in the 50 metre Freestyle and the 100 metre Individual Medley and a Bronze medal in the 50 metre Butterfly.  Her times were all close to her personal best times. Together, they helped the West Midlands to a Bronze medal in the 4x100 metre Medley Relay where the winning team set a new World record.

  Speaking after the Championships, Wyre Forest Head Coach, John Howles, said “These were excellent performances and I am sure that Fran’s will prove to have taken her an extra step along the road to London 2012”.