Swimming & Waterpolo

• Ulster Grammar Schools’ Championships – 15 Medals
• Ulster Secondary Schools’ Championships – 24 Medals
• Irish Schools’ Swimming Championships – 11 Medals
• Ulster Minor Schools’ Swimming Championships – 14 Medals

Outstanding swims came from Mark Wylie, who left all the opposition in his wake, winning the Junior 200m Individual Medley and 100m Breaststroke. Sasha Hooks picked up Gold in the 100m Back-crawl and Silver in the 100m Freestyle. Colleen McCausland added Silver in 100m Butterfly and a Bronze in the 100m Back-crawl. Caroline Gordon (Captain) won Silver in the 100m Breaststroke in the Senior event, with Larragh Mann claiming Silver in the Junior 100m Breaststroke.

The Intermediate Girls’ Team of Seana Harley-Moyes, Larragh Mann, Colleen McCausland and Kate Miller showed guts and determination to collect 8 Silver medals between them in the Medley and Freestyle Relays.

The school had some great individual swims from the Junior team who managed many personal bests on the day.  Seana Harley-Moyes swam a p.b. by 6 seconds in her 100m Butterfly.  Robbie Shaw, Ben Nixon, Peter McLean, Alice Kavanagh, Clodagh Corry, Sarah Gargan and Eorann O’Neill, hopefully will be the stars of the future.

Gavin Carmichael swam two great individual swims, making the Back-crawl final, just missing a Bronze medal by a very small margin.

The Intermediate Relay team of Gavin, Mark Wylie, Peter McLean and Conor Spence (who was dragged off the rugby field and brought out of swimming retirement), put in gutsy performances and just missed out on a couple of medals.

Last, but not least, the Senior Girls’ Team were phenomenal; Sasha Hooks, Laura Wylie, Caroline Gordon and Rebecca Houston won 8 Gold medals cleaning up convincingly in the Medley and Freestyle Relays. The team moved on to the Irish Schools’ Championships 1st and 2nd February 2008, in Salthill, Galway.  A nine strong squad as well as their ever loyal parents arrived through snow-storms hoping for success.

Sasha Hooks did not disappoint winning the Irish Intermediate 100m Backstroke, coming 3rd in the 200m event and 6th in 100m Freestyle.  Young Mark Wylie again shone, by claiming the Irish Junior 100m Breaststroke title and finishing a commendable 5th in the 200m IM.

Again, the Senior Relay Team: Sasha Hooks, Caroline Gordon, Colleen McCausland and Laura Wylie performed brilliantly becoming the All Ireland Senior Girls Medley Relay Champions.  Included in their trawl was Silver in the All Ireland Senior Girls Freestyle Relay.

The Intermediate team of Rebecca Houston, Larragh Mann, Seana Harley-Moyes and Kate Miller keep on improving and finished 7^th in both their Medley and Freestyle Relay events.  Colleen McCausland swam to a 7^th in the 100m Backstroke and 5^th in the 200m Backstroke.  Larragh came 9^th in 100m Junior Breaststroke and 11^th in 100m Butterfly.  Seana picked up 16^th in the 100m Butterfly.

Sasha Hooks and Mark Wylie were selected to represent Belfast Royal Academy on the All Ireland Schools’ Team, competing at the National Championships in England in March.

At the beginning of June this year we saw the return of the Inter-House Swimming Gala, this provided a great amount of friendly competition among the largest number of pupils to have ever taken part (over 130 children). We also hosted a friendly Gala between our 1^st and 2^nd year pupils and other schools (St Malachy’s, Victoria College, Friends’ and Methody) this was very enjoyable and is only the start of more competitions to come. I am pleased to say that the interest in swimming is increasing in the school and we look forward to the year ahead hoping for further success.