The winners of the Swim England National Awards have been announced during the ceremony at Birmingham University’s Great Hall on Saturday 10th November 2018.
Jane Nickerson, Swim England CEO said “Whether its sporting success or someone giving up their free time to help others, the achievements of all our finalists influence so many. It’s important that those who play a crucial role in swimming, water polo, sychronised swimming and diving are recognised. Their stories fill me with pride.”
The North West region had several nominations and winners of which we would like to congratulate each of them on their achievement.
Tom was the only English swimmer to set a world record at the Commonwealth Games gaining Gold in the S14 200m Freestyle.
Stephanie joined City of Manchester WP in 2013 and it was obvious from her first day that she was a very talented player. Over the past 5 years, she has progressed from City of Manchester’s development team to the senior side and has been a regular ever since, becoming an influential player for both club and country.
In 2018, Steph has excelled in both domestic and international water polo competitions, making a stand out contribution as Great Britain’s Women’s U19 team secured a top 10 finish in the European Championships in Madeira. Steph finished the tournament as Great Britain’s joint top scored with nine goals from the team’s six matches.
Sophie Casson set a new European record at the Swim England National Masters Championships in October. The Carnforth swimmer clocked 17:02.39, an improvement on her personal best by 18 seconds in the Women’s 30-34 1500m Freestyle.
For more than 30 years, Carol Coles has been the chief coach of Swinton Swimming Club. She has supported hundreds of families over the years to help make swimming accessible for everyone, committing much of her free time to her role. Not only does Carol coach, but she also organise club social and fundraising events.
Alison is a Level 2 swimming teacher at Macclesfield Leisure Centre, Alison’s approach to swimming lessons have been described as exceptional – with her classes always high in occupancy and demand. Her nomination stated she is ‘an exceptional professional mentor to new teachers and she has very good rapport with parents, children and colleagues’.
Congratulations to all these very worthy winners, and a big thank you to all those volunteers who continue to dedicate their time and efforts. If you know someone that should be recognised for their achievements, success or how much they dedicate to others, then keep a look out for the nomination window in 2019.
