This year’s Boys Championship (for players born in 1996 or later) was held at the Region’s newest water polo venue, Inspire Luton Sports Village. A full report of the event can be downloaded here.

The County send their to the players, coaches & management for their achievement.

Other teams taking part in the league format tournament were Deben, who finished third, Ipswich, fourth, and Chelmsford.

Basildon had the tournament top scorer in James Warman who scored nine goals, while Croft weighed in with another six for them. Colchester’s strong showing was led by seven goals from Sam Mackinder, while Chelmsford’s Dani Brazier was the top scoring girl with four goals.

Final table
Basildon, 8 points
Colchester, 6
Deben, 4
Ipswich, 2
Chelmsford, 0

Match results
Deben 3 Ipswich 1
Colchester 4 Chelmsford 2
Basildon 8 Ipswich 0
Deben 1 Colchester 4
Chelmsford 2 Basildon 4
Ipswich 1 Colchester 5
Basildon 6 Deben 0
Ipswich 3 Chelmsford 1
Colchester 1 Basildon 5
Chelmsford 1 Deben 2

Top scorers
James Warman (Basildon) 9
Sam Mackinder (Colchester) 7
Nathan Croft (Basildon) 6
Dani Brazier (Chelmsford) 4
Cameron Cowan (Colchester) 4
Rufus Church (Deben) 3
Kieran Harris (Deben) 3
Alex Humphries (Basildon) 3
Bradley Watts (Ipswich) 3

Special congratulations go to Chelmsford, Colchester, Thurrock, Southend-on-Sea and Epping Forest Swimming Clubs who all provided medallists. A total of twenty-seven medals were won by Essex-based swimmers, including seven golds.

Chelmsford SC finished as ‘Top Essex Club’, with a total of four gold, three silver and three bronze medals. Special congratulations go to Chelmsford’s 4x100m Freestyle and Medley Relay teams of Evie Fisher, Eliza Duffy, Hannah Travell and Sarah Larner, whose superb performances resulted in them qualfying for the British Gas ASA National Youth Championships in both events. Subject to ratification, the times were also new Essex County Records. Well done Chelmsford, and good luck at Ponds Forge in July.

As always, events such as these would never run without the support of an army of volunteers. As County Volunteer Officer, I would like to thank all thoses individuals and clubs who helped to stage the Championships. At any one time there were over twenty volunteers from Essex-based clubs assisting on the poolside, and without their help, the gala would simply not have taken place.

Tom Baster

20-year-old Roberto from Shenfield claimed two places in the GB Olympic squad at the British Championships at the Aquatics Centre in Stratford this week.

Waltham Forrest’s Daniel Fogg also qualified for the 1500m with a time of 14 minutes 55.30 seconds

Essex swimming send their best wishes for their selection and wish them well in the competition.

Daniel Fogg was bought up through the Waltham Forest Gators learn to swim scheme.

He entered their Club night program at 8 yrs and by the age of 9 was accepted into the junior squad program and competed at his first Essex Championships. By 12 yrs he was training in the Gators Top squad and had attained medal placings at ECASA in the 200 fly, 400 & 800 free.

By age 13/14 Daniel was attending all of Top squads 10 weekly sessions giving him 20 hrs per week in the pool thus showing total commitment to his swimming journey.

Waltham Forest had a large turn over of Head Coaches during Daniels younger career until in 2002 Mike Bush was appointed .

Daniel by now was winning Gold medals at ECASA in all Freestyle events except the sprints and also the 400 IM and 200 Fly with a string of Silver and Bronze in others , with the same successes at Regional Championships.2003 saw Daniel win his first medal at National Youth Championships in Sheffield with a Bronze in the now favoured 1500 freestyle.

Although never a sprinter Dan swam the anchor leg in both the 4 X 100 free relay & 4 X 100 Medley relay at the same Chamionships to gain gold in both.

This success earned him a place on the newly formed British swimming training program along with three other Waltham Forest Swimmers.This program had been put together by the then new British swimming Performance director Bill Sweetnam. The aims were to gather the best youth swimmers together for 6 different weekend training camps around the UK. Different groups of swimmers in Dans case the distance freestylers training together to feed off each other.

The British championships at Manchester 2005 saw Daniel in the Final of the 1500 as one of only two junior swimmers who were both competing for the ‘one’ place at this event for the forthcoming European junior Championships. He swam a very controlled race to beat his Rival in a very narrow 1.4 sec lead thus securing his ticket.

Having competed at Euro juniors and finished a very creditable 10th he returned to UK nationals and gained finals in all he entered with Silver medal place in 2.

The following season saw Daniel move up to Loughborough University but as is often the case the particular training did not help him with even some of the home Waltham Forest boys swimming faster. With his usual resolve he kept working until a stroke of luck found him in Coach Kevin Renshaws squad and he never looked back.

2008 he qualified for Beiging Olympics although unfortunately he was taken out in a swim off.

This truly shows what you need for success, a swimmer qualifies for the Olympics gets knocked back and still goes back to training the next day.

2010 Qualifies for Commonwealth Games and wins the Bronze medal in Delhi.

As we saw at Stratford Daniel has now qualified for London 2012 with a 14.55 at the 1500 free finally the best of the British Distance swimmers.

This should be a message to all Essex Swimmers of what can be achieved if you have the commitment and resolve.

Players:

Coaches:

Tim Whitwham
Mike Chadwick
Jason Attwood

A full report can be found on the ASA East Region Site

Essex were coached by Basildon’s Mike Chadwick and Colchester’s Simon Lecomber. The squad was as follows:

Matt Dawe

Josh Inwood

Rob Humphries

Alec Humphries

Alfie Briden

David Williams

Aaron Doyle

Aiden Robinson  (all Basildon)

Dan Paddon (Chelmsford)

Ryan Bygrave

Josh Mackinder (both Colchester)

The County sends their congratulations to her, her coaches and parents.

Amrita Robertson
Amy Statham
Benjamin Stuckey
Brock Whiston
Charlie Dentith
Chloe Davis
Christian McMillan
Connor Kearns
Courtney Sanders
Danielle Rooke
Edward Clark
Elena Sheridan
Eliza Duffy
Evie Fisher
Frank McGuirk
Hayden Thomas
Henry Maher
James Day
Jarrod Bradfield
Jessica Lambert
Jim Vickers
Jodi Whitehead
Joshua Inwood
Marissa Posnett
Nathan Leong
Phillippa Davenall
Sean Houlihan
Sonny Ford

Paul Hayes, Thurrock SC has been elected President Elect of the Region,

Daphne Pugh, Runnymede SC was recognised as Outstanding contribution at Club Level ‘an aqua force award’

Daphne Pugh

Janet Rayner, Halstead SC received a long service award ‘an aqua force award’

Janet Rayner