School sports: Szaranek targets a title double in national meet

SWIMMING: Mark Szaranek (Auchmuty High School) made a big breakthrough by winning the 100m butterfly and the 100m individual medley at last month’s Scottish Gas National Open Championships at the Royal Commonwealth Pool and he will also be chasing a golden double at this Saturday’ Brodies Scottish Schools’ Championships.

The massive event at East Kilbride showcases the talent of the not-so-distant future and Szaranek will be aiming to capture the 100m freestyle and 200m individual medley in the oldest 17-19 years category.

Competitors are restricted to two events and Jedburgh Grammar School’s Lucy Hope, who won the overall girls’ award in her age-group with record-breaking performances last year, is favourite in the 
15-16 years 100m and 200m backstroke.

Daniel Lim (Stewart’s Melville College) was top Scottish boy at the recent WISE International Schools’ Championship and he is at the head of the rankings in the two 17-19 years breaststroke events.

While they are all still at school, the goal for many of the youngsters in action will be to make the Scottish team for neat year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

After all, Olympian Craig Benson, now a former pupil of James Young High School, qualified for the Brodies Championships 12 months ago.

Emily Jones (Inverurie Acdemy) already has Games qualifying times and she will be out to end her school swimming career with victories in the 200m breaststroke and 200m individual medley

Suleman But (Aberdeen Grammar School) is already making waves at British level in his age-group and he goes in the 15-16 years 200m freestyle, while Strathallan’s Duncan Scott is tipped to win the 200m individual medley and 200m butterfly in the same section.

Jack Ness (Robert Gordon’s College) is another with a strong chance of a double – in the 17-19 years 100m and 200m backstroke.