2 members of Newton Abbot Swimming Club featured in a unique double at the recent "Teignbridge Sports Personality of the Year" awards ceremony.
Despite being at opposite ends of the age spectrum, John Pugh (aged 77) and Jessica Twose (aged 12) both featured amongst the award winners. John (with 44 years of service to the Club, as a (swimming teacher) was a well-deserved runner up in the Services to Sport (Community) category, and Jess was 3rd in the Young Sportswoman of the Year category.
"The young & The Old" of Newton Abbot Swimming Club, John Pugh (77) joined in 1964 and has never missed the Club's Annual Presentation evening in those 44 years! John is ever present on pool side on Sunday evenings, where, as a committed volunteer he has taught hundreds of children to swim. His direct, somewhat uncompromising style has ensured that the children have achieved their goals in learning to swim, some taking their abilities further by competing for the club. His wife Betty was also a club stalwart being subscriptions secretary for 20 years! John has many memories of the club: their original home was at Penn Inn (now Sainsburys!) and Water Polo was first run at Morton Bridge (now B&Q!) where the lock was closed to allow the water to build up - Health & Safety would probably have something to say about that these days! Moving to the younger generation, Jess Twose (12) is one of a large number of Swimmers to have benefited from the work of coaches like John. Jess won both the Devon & ASA South West titles at her first attempt and qualified for the 2007 and 2008 National Finals at Sheffield in her favoured event the 100m Backstroke. This year she has already been a winner at the County Championships, and broken the 50M Backstroke record, (held since 2002 by Claudia Coleman a competitor at the 2003 European Youth Olympics!). Jess currently has the 2nd fastest time in the UK on 50M Backstroke.
Holly Willing also featured at the awards ceremony as a member of Bovey Tracey Lifesaving team. |
