Swimming: Fine Vine in rich vein of form (From Bucks Free Press)

Swimming: Fine Vine in rich vein of form

ALEX Vine warmed up for his assault on the World Schools Championships by winning four medals at the Guildford City Open last week.

The 17-year-old won the 200m individual medley and followed up with silvers in the 50m, 100m and 200m butterfly events as he hammered out a warning to the rest of the competitors at this week's schools championships in France.

He helped his team-mates at the Wycombe District Swimming Club to claim six gold, nine silver and eight bronze medals as Wycombe finished among the top clubs at the 40-team meet.

Daniel Bennett, 18, collected two gold medals, the first in the 17/18 years 200m breaststroke and the second in the open 50m breaststroke.

Sixteen year-old Francesca Wright was another multiple medal winner. She took gold in the 16/17 years 200m backstroke, silver in the 400m freestyle and bronzes in the 100m backstroke, 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle events. Nicholas Grover,18, kept the medal spree going with victory in the 17/18 years 200m backstroke, silver in the 100m backstroke and bronze in the open 50m backstroke.

Michael Sturgess brought home the club's final gold going when he won the 17/18 years 100m freestyle final.

The club's remaining silver medals went to Daniel Gomme who completed a silver double in the 50m and 200m backstroke as well as taking bronze in the 100m backstroke event.

Stephanie Wilson also struck silver in the 14/15 years 200m butterfly event and Ben Waddy repeated the feat in the 17/18 years 100m freestyle final.

The club's other bronze medallists were Anna Jemielity in the 12 years 100m freestyle and James Crawford in the 13 years 200m backstroke.

May 29, 2002 11:30