28 July 2008
Outstanding performances from Matthew Johnson and Danielle Hall-Jackson, helped the City of Leeds on their way to the Top Club award at the ASA National Age Group Championships.
Johnson concluded his 2008 ASA National Age Group campaign with 10 individual gold medals and 3 bronze medals from the team relays. Meanwhile, Hall-Jackson picked up 4 golds (400m/800m/1500m freestyle and 4 x 200m freestyle relay), 1 silver (200m freestyle) and 1 bronze medal (4 x 100m freestyle relay).
Dominating the boys 13 years age group, Matthew Johnson completed his ASA National Age Group Championships in 2008 with easy wins in the 200m breaststroke (2:30.63) and 400m freestyle where he set a new British age group record of 4:09.59 smashing the record by over three seconds. He finished the day by contributing to the team performance in the boy’s 4 x 200m freestyle relay where the City of Leeds team came third.
Summarising Matthew Johnson’s performances, Richard Denigan, head age group coach at the City of Leeds, said, “Matthew’s target was to win ten individual gold medals at these Championships. Some of his events have been close with Matthew being pushed by his competitors, but we expected that and prepared accordingly. He’s come a long way in twelve months and we are both very pleased that he has accomplished his goal. In training we have been focused upon pacing and learning to swim a controlled race. His swims have been more mature but at the end of the day this is all a learning experience for the future”, concluded Denigan.