SWIMMING: Karen Pickering has completed her last full swim meet before going into an official "holding camp" prior to the Manchester-based Commonwealth Games.

SWIMMING

KAREN Pickering has completed her last full swim meet before going into an official "holding camp" prior to the Manchester-based Commonwealth Games.

The Ipswich star took part in the ASA Long Course Championships in Coventry over the weekend, claiming fourth place in the 100 metres Freestyle.

Karen, who has spent the last few months keeping to a strict training regime, admitted that tiredness had been an issue in the Coventry event.

She said she may have been slightly short of her peak performance, but claims she is not at all unhappy with the weekend's result.

"I was certainly very tired when the event started, so my time was a bit slower than I would have liked to have gone," she confessed.

"That's not to say I'm disappointed because tiredness can be a factor when you're training as hard as we are at the moment.

"The Commonwealths are just a few weeks away so we've been putting a lot in to the preparation – and you don't expect to put the very best times in at that point in training."

THREE Ipswich teenagers claimed top finishes in the recent Sudbury and District two-day meet.

Results – 13-year-old Catherine Worsfold: 2nd 50m backstroke 40.41, 2nd 100m butterfly 1.32.44 P.B, 4th 200m breaststroke 3.32.57 P.B, 5th 100m freestyle 1.22.36, 2nd 50m butterfly 42.85 and 5th 100m Ind. Medley 1.30.92 P.B.

15-year-old Victoria Robins: 3rd 50m breaststroke 44.92 P.B, 1st 200m freestyle 2.32.28 P.B, 3rd 50m freestyle 33.51 and 3rd 200m Ind. Medley 2.58.76.

15-year-old Claire Worsfold: 1st 50m backstroke 36.56 P.B, 2nd 200m breaststroke 3.11.29 P.B, and 1st 100m freestyle 1.08.97.

IPSWICH Swimming Club recorded some impressive results in the Southend on Sea fifth Aggregate Gala.

All events were held in a 33.3 metre pool and the winners were determined by the fastest aggregate time – all strokes counting, without disqualifications.

Results: Kathryn Watson, butterfly 34.78. backstroke 29.25, breaststroke 36.89 and freestyle 26.27. Lydia Decarvalho, butterfly 27.84, backstroke 27.32, breaststroke 33.75, and freestyle 24.06, came 3rd in age group. Lydia Williams butterfly 27.83, backstroke 27.79, breaststroke 33.55 and freestyle 24.19, came 4th in age group. Emma Glendenning, butterfly 25.28, backstroke 24.84, breaststroke 31.50 and freestyle 22.31. Samantha Berry, butterfly 24.84, backstroke 27.38, breaststroke 31.88 and freestyle 21.58. Molly Rhodes, butterfly 24.95, backstroke 23.88, breaststroke 27.85 and freestyle 21.51, came 3rd in age group. Helen Powley, butterfly 24.92, backstroke 24.88, breaststroke 30.49 and freestyle 21.42. Benjamin Matthews, butterfly 25.26, backstroke 26.32, breaststroke 31.70 and freestyle 21.95. Gavin Barker, butterfly 30.51, backstroke 29.95, breaststroke 29.92 and freestyle 25.13.