UoC students compete in BUCS Swimming Championships
The BUCS Weekend (British Universities & Colleges League)
Dean Heaps, a second year student studying Radiography and myself, Julian Taylor a second year studying Sport and Exercise Science competed at the Long Course BUCS Nationals at the International Swimming Pool, Ponds Forge in Sheffield last weekend.
I started swimming at the age of 4 at Marple Swimming Club and progressed through the stages. At 12 years old, I joined a talent scheme and went to swim for Manchester, eventually progressing through to regional and national in the 50m Freestyle and 50m Backstroke.
At the BUCS weekend I swam 50m Backstroke, 50m Freestyle and 100m Freestyle. In the 50m Backstroke I swam 32.00 and came 56th/130. In the 50m Freestyle I went 26:47 and came 32nd/120 (putting me 4 seconds behind World Champion Liam Tancock). In the 100m Freestyle I went 59.06 and came 73rd/130 (after a rough night).
Dean Heaps, the only other swimmer for UCSU has this to say;
“I started swimming at age 9 when a swimming teacher advised me to go to a swimming club. I worked through all stages of Preston Swimming Club and then moved onto the Lancashire swim squad (Gallica). I then progressed up to a national level and competed at the British Gas National Championships in 100m and 200m breaststroke.”
Dean swam in the 50m, 100m and 200m Breaststroke. In the 50m breaststroke, he went 32.45 and came 38th/110. In the 200m breaststroke he swam 2:32.83 and came 20th/80! The overall winner of the 200m Breaststroke was won by Olympic Finalist Andrew Willis. In the 100m breaststroke Dean swam 1:10.27 and come 27th/100 (also after a rough night).
Dean and myself are also members of the University’s swimming team.
Gatorade were the official sponsors of the BUCS weekend and Gatorade sports drinks were freely available for all swimmers to collect all weekend. The atmosphere was amazing seeing so many swimmers and well known athletes also added to the “buzz”. Dean and myself met up frequently to discuss our races and various tactics we had planned. Dean stayed with his swimming friends from UCLAN and I stayed with the swimming squad from Lancaster University. Dean and I also met up with old swimming friends we have known since grass roots level, but were competing at different Universities.
Overall the weekend was a great success and hopefully we will be taking part in both BUCS short and long course galas next year.
Julian Taylor - Vice Captain, University of Cumbria’s Swimming and Waterpolo Team.
Congraulations to both Julian and Dean for their impressive performances. If you are in a sports tea and would like to have an article on the UCSU website, just drop me a line at adam.lewis@cumbria.ac.uk
Team UCSU - Made up of U.
