The second weekend of the Lancashire Counties and our swimmers continue to perform at their best adding a further 46 medals to the 53 collected last weekend. Bringing the total so far to 30 gold medals, 40 silver and 29 bronze.
Our 10 & 11 year-old’s continue to shine adding 6 medals between them including 3 gold. 2 medals came in a very close race for silver and gold in the 50m back between Camilla Holland and Gracie Smith with Camellia just snatching victory on the final stroke with both girls under 40 seconds. Gracie went on to show her strength in the 50m butterfly coming home for gold in a fantastic time of 37.6. In the 100 freestyle Poppy Johnson powered her way to victory in a great time of 1:16.0. 2 more medals came in the 100m breaststroke when Olivia Jones took silver in 1:34.5 and Gracie added the bronze to her collection of County medals.
The 12 year-old’s were in fine form taking 1 gold and 3 silvers. With the gold coming in the boys 50m Backstroke when James Vaughan finished strongly in a very close race. James went on to two more excellent swims taking silver in the 400m medley and 100m breaststroke. Jorja Howard continued her success with a very strong finish fighting back hard to take a well deserved silver.
Evie Cutter was on fine form in the 13 year-old age group adding 4 medals over the weekend to clubs tally. With gold in the 100m Freestyle finishing in 1:02.6 and 33.1 in the 50m Backstroke. In the long Individual medley Evie brought home the silver eith the same colour of medal in the 50m Butterfly. For the 13 year boys Alfie Owen showed his talents coming away with 3 medals an excellent silver medal in the 400 medley and 2 bronze 100m Freestyle and 50m Butterfly. In the girls 100m Breaststroke Alice Holt produced her best swim to date with an excellent 1:21 and silver, with Matthew Sawers took his first bronze medal of the Championships in the 400 medley.
More medals came in the 400m Medley when Isabel Lloyd finished strong to snatch the silver medal in the 14 year girl’s age group. In the 14 year boy’s 50m Backstroke Josh Hayes took an excellent bronze.
Not to be out done by the 13 year age group our 15 year-old’s also added 9 medals to our collection. The 400m medley certainly proved to be a strong event for us when Chloe Ridge and Ruby Sheehan were both in the medals with Chloe came home to take the gold in 5:28, with Ruby taking her first bronze medal of the Championships. Chloe went on to prove her toughness when 24 hours later she added a bronze medal to her haul in the distance 800m Freestyle and a bronze in the 100m Breaststroke event. A second gold came to our 15 year old’s when Lydia Swindell came home in an excellent 1:00.8 in the 100m Freestyle and went on to add the bronze medal to her collection in the 50m Backstroke.. Daniel Haynes fought neck and neck all the way in the 100m Freestyle just missing gold by 2ths of a second finishing with the silver in 57.6. An excellent 29 second gave Daniel the bronze in the boy’s 50m Butterfly. Caitlin Maylor added a further bronze in the 50m Butterfly.
Our most successful age group this weekend was our 16 year-old’s who added 12 medals this week to the grand total 3 gold’s 7 silver and 2 bronze. Sam Grimes powered his way to gold in the 16 years 400m medley in 4:52 and a 55.5 gave him victory in the 100m Freestyle, showing his versatility Sam brought home the silver in the 100m Breaststroke event. Charlie Collins took a brilliant silver in the 400m medley giving us gold and silver in the event. In the 50m Butterfly Charlie finished in 27.3 taking his second silver of the weekend and a strong last 25m made sure he was in the medals again in the 100m Freestyle finishing with a bronze. An excellent 31.2 gave Aimee Crompton-Hesford a victory in the girl’s 50m Backstroke with team-mate Anna Healey taking the silver spot. Francesca Brady had a strong swim taking the silver to Aimee’s bronze in the sprint Butterfly event . Once again the 400m medley saw best swimmers in the medals this time it was the turn of Eve Horton who took the silver medal in 5:20.
Our senior swimmers continued the success with another gold in the 400m medley from Rachel Hornby who came home in a best time of 5:04.9 with Olivia Sheehan taking silver. The 800m Freestyle gave Olivia her second silver medal with Matthew Tinkler adding bronze in the men’s 50m Backstroke.
Without doubt the first two weekends we have seen an excellent team spirit which has put us in such a strong position to retain the top age group club which is testament to all our swimmers our coaches Chris and Dave and our army of excellent team managers. On behalf of everyone we wish our team every success as we move in to the final weekend.