Six Dragons Disabled Swimming Club Swimmers represented Wales at the DSE National Short Course 2005 Championships at Ponds Forge, Sheffield this weekend (22-23/10/05). The 27 strong Welsh squad included Dragons swimmers Jonathan Aynge, Hywel Corbin, Jade Howe, Agata Jankowska, Gilliane Perry and Claire Trodd. This event saw Hywel, Jade and Claire making their National Championships debut.

The experienced Welsh squad was led by Team Manager Gerwyn Owen, and guided by Head Coach Billy Pye (Swim Swansea and Great Britain) with assistance from Peter Key (Dragons DSC and Caerphilly Swim Squad) and Mark Thomas (Swansea Stingrays). The Welsh team included many swimmers with Paralympic experience including Dragons DSC Assistant coach David Roberts, former Dragons members Gareth Duke, Liz Johnson and Nyree Lewis, and Paralympic medalists Graham Edmunds and Jody Cundy. Also included in the squad were former Dragons members Kate Arnold, Nick Gibbon, and Lindsay Harris. Other swimmers came from Swansea Stingrays and Bridgend Sharks along with swimmers based in North Wales.

It was a successful meet for all of the Dragons DSC swimmers and all of the Welsh squad with a large medal haul and many Personal Bests. The Welsh team finished the meet in an overall position of 4th. Experienced Dragons DSC swimmers Jonathan Aynge and Gilliane Perry had the opportunity to gain more experience representing the Welsh region at a National Championships and to better the Personal Bests, while although it was only the second event as a Dragons DSC swimmer, Agata Jankowska has swam in major championships for Sweden. The Dragons DSC swimmers who could gain the most from this weekend were Hywel Corbin, Jade Howe and Claire Trodd as it allowed them the opportunty to taste their first bit of competition at a National Championships competing alongside swimmers who have represented Britain at the Paralympics. 

The championship included three sessions held on the Saturday and Sunday. The Results for the Dragons DSC swimmers who represented Wales were as follows:

Jonathan Aynge

S14 100m Freestyle - 1:17.66 (23/27)

S14 50m Freestyle - 34.98 (26/31)

Hywel Corbin

S10 100m Freestyle - 1:26.73 (11/11)

SB9 50m Breaststroke – 58.68 (13/13)

S10 100m Backstroke – 1:46.84 (7/7)

SM10 100m Ind. Medley – DQ

S10 50m Backstroke – 50.33 (10/10)

S10 50m Freestyle – 38.48 (13/14)

Jade Howe

S10 50m Backstroke – 46.28 (2/3)

S10 50m Freestyle – 39.04 (5/6)

Agata Jankowska

S9 100m Freestyle – 1:16.61 (5/11)

S9 100m Backstroke – 1:31.59 (5/9)

S9 400m Freestyle – 5:42.68 (2/3)

S9 50m Backstroke – 43.54 (2/8)

Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay – (2/6)

Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay – (3/7)

Gilliane Perry

S15 100m Freestyle – 1:33.73 (3/3)

S15 100m Backstroke – 1:57.21 (2/2)

SM15 100m Ind. Medley – 1:58.82 (1/1)

S15 100m Butterfly – 2:12.53 (2/2)

S15 50m Backstroke – 54.52 (3/3)

S15 50m Butterfly – 53.84 (2/2)

Claire Trodd

SB7 50m Breaststroke – 1:30.94 (5/7)

S7 50m Backstroke – 1:15.53 (9/10)

S7 50m Freestyle – 1:00.54 (8/9)

The Welsh Squad that competed were:

Gareth Duke, David Roberts, Graham Edmunds, Jody Cundy, Liz Johnson (all Swim Swansea), Nyree Lewis (Manchester), Kate Arnold (Torfaen S.C.), Lindsay Harris (Tredegar), Jonathan Aynge, Hywel Corbin, Jade Howe, Agata Jankowska, Gilliane Perry, Claire Trodd (all Dragons D.S.C.), Marc Brinkworth, Daniel Bendle, Jenna Evans, Natasha Curtis, Adam Bendle, Jack Thomas (all Swansea Stingrays), Ashley Wager, Scott Brown (both Bridgend Sharks), Sam Chamberlain, James Roberts, Nick Gibbon, Daniel Smith and David Vaughan. 

Click here to read Sarah Marl's DSE Press Release about this event