Sarah strikes Scottish gold

Jan 24 2007 by Nick Moreton, Birkenhead News

A BEBINGTON schoolgirl struck gold at the Scottish National Swimming Championships in Glasgow.

Sarah Eaglesham, 14, defied all expectation to bring home a gold and silver medal from the competition, where several members of the successful Commonwealth Games swimming team were also in attendance.

More than 650 athletes were attracted to the championships at Tollcross Park Leisure Centre – all competing for medals and the title of Scottish National Short Course Champion.

Sarah, who swims for the City of Chester Swimming Club, won the gold medal in the Girls’ 14-and-under age group 800 metres freestyle.

Her winning time of 9min 8.78secs took an incredible 17 seconds off her previous personal best time.

She then won the silver medal in the Girls’ 14-and-under 400 metres freestyle when, in a thrilling race, she was pipped for gold by six one hundreds of a second.

Even then, her time of 4min 23.87secs shaved six seconds off her personal best time and would have taken third place in the open (adult) category.

Sarah, a year nine student at Wirral Grammar School for Girls, works hard to achieve such high standards in the pool.