Swimmer of the year

The Swimmer of the Year shall hold the Trophy for a period of one year subject to the Association’s conditions. The swimmer(s) will receive a personal memento recording the award.

 

The following are the criteria to be used to select the Warwickshire Swimmer of the Year:

  1. The award is to reflect the achievement of an individual competing in any discipline at the highest possible level in open competition that would add distinction and recognition to the name of the nominee, their club and the Association.

 

  1. The award shall be made to a nominee who was a member of a club affiliated to the Association from the beginning of the year under review and has not represented another county in the same year. Where possible the nominee would be expected, if called upon, to be available for Association representative competition and/or participation in the Association’s Annual Individual Championships. (“Where possible” refers to an international or other athlete whose training or other commitments sometimes prevents them competing for the Association.)

 

  1. Any Officer, Executive Member, or club shall be eligible to make a nomination. The name, together with the details supporting the nomination, must be forwarded to the Swimming Secretary by 31st October for the swimming year ended 30th September.

 

  1. The Chairman shall appoint, in early November each year, a panel of not less than three and up to five people to consider any nominations submitted to or made by them using the laid down criteria for the selection. The panel shall include at least one person with expertise in the discipline/disciplines of the nominees. The name of the recommended nominee shall be presented to the Executive, for their approval, at the December meeting.

 

  1. If in the opinion of the Executive there is no outstanding nominee in a year the award shall not be made for that year.

 

  1. When, exceptionally, 2 or more nominees have an equally strong claim the Executive may decide to make the award jointly.

 

  1. Presentation of the award – The presentation of the trophy and an award of £100 shall be made to the successful nominee at a session of the following Warwickshire Swimming Championships or on a date and at a venue of their choice­.

 

Swimmer of the year

(all disciplines from 2006)

 

1963     Robert Lord                       1964     Robert Lord

1965     Robert Lord                       1966     Janice Lawson

1967     Sheena Grant                    1968     Sheena Grant

1969     Steven Sawkings             1970     Jackie Thompson

1971     Martin Edwards               1972     Martin Edwards

1973     Martin Edwards               1974     Dean Smith

1975     David Parker                      1976     Debbie Rudd

1977     Debbie Rudd                      1978     Kim Wilkinson

1979     Gareth Sykes                      1980     Maxine Charles

1981     Gareth Sykes                      1982     Paul Easter

1983     Paul Howe                            1984     Joanne Seymour

1985     Not presented                    1986     Nicola Kennedy

1987     Ruth Knight                          1988     Joanna Coull

1989     David Parker                       1990     Caroline Piggot

1991     Blayne Hughes                   1992     Sukie Brownsdon

1993     Marie Hardiman                1994     Marie Hardiman

1995     Adam Ruckwood               1996     Jo Deakins

1997     Adam Ruckwood        1998     Adam Whitehead/ Georgina Lee

1999     Not presented                    2000     Georgina Lee

2001     Georgina Lee                       2002     Adam Whitehead

2003     Grace Callaghan                2004     Georgina Lee

2005     Not presented                    2006     Judy Wilson (M)

2007     Elizabeth Smith (Sy)        2008     Eleanor Simmonds (P)

2009     Not presented                    2010     Not presented

2011     Tully Kearney (P)              2012     Yvette Baker (Sy)

2013     Paul Bates (M)                    2014    Jake Vincent (WP)

2015     Tully Kearney (P)              2016     Eleanor Simmons (P)

2017     Kathryn Fowler (WP)

 

After a winner’s name:

(M) denotes a Masters swimmer, (Sy) a Snchro swimmer

(WP) Water Polo  and (P) a Para Swimmer, all others are speed swimmers

 

Tully Kearney  –  Boldmere Swimming Club 

Tully Kearney has a progressive neurological condition that causes advanced weakening of the muscles and painful contractions, as well as having joint hypermobility, which can result in dislocations. Despite her limited independent mobility Tully began swimming at the age of nine, deciding to take up swimming competitively after being inspired by Ellie Simmonds when she displayed her Paralympic medals at a school assembly (they attended the same school). Tully followed in Ellie’s footsteps and joined Boldmere Swimming Club and was subsequently classified as a S10 and SB9 swimmer; at the age of 14 she was competing nationally in youth competitions winning gold in seven events at the DSE (Disability Sports Events) Championships in Sheffield.

In 2015 Tully was selected to represent Great Britain at the 2015 IPC Swimming World Championships Glasgow.

Due to her progressive illness, Tully was reclassified as a S9 swimmer in her butterfly, freestyle and medley events. Qualifying to enter seven events.

Tully brought home six medals in total:

Gold in the medley relay,

100m butterfly (S9) with a European record breaking time of 1:09.04,

200m individual medley (SM9) with a European record breaking time of 2:31.08,

400m freestyle (S9) where Tully also set a new European record with a time of 4:39.29.

Silver in the 100m backstroke S9, behind a world record breaking swim by Australia’s Ellie Cole,

and

Bronze in the 4x100m freestyle relay.

Tully Kearney enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2015 by not only securing her position on the World Championships team but also returning as the most decorated swimmer.

Tully is an exceptional elite athlete and Warwickshire is delighted that she has been included in Great Britain’s main performance squad for the final build-up to Rio 2016 Paralympics. Tully was previously on the ‘podium potential’ programme, but has moved up to the main ‘podium’ group of athletes. She joins the likes of fellow Aldridge pool star Ellie Simmonds, and will receive direct support from UK Sport through the World Class Performance Programme. Nationality

 

 

 

 

150606 jakevincent Sw o the year                                Jake Vincent Swimmer of the Year 2014