Berkhamsted swimmers impress in Wycombe Open Meet

For many it was their first ever time swimming, let alone competing in a 50m long pool.

The meet began with Dewi Fordyce, fresh from his performances at County Champs, pinching silver in the 9 years 50 Free with 40.48 which was faster than his 25m pool best time. He was backed up by Sam Childs 42.29 and Oliver Lloyd 49.01 in the 10 years age group. Childs’ time was also faster than his short course best as was Will Franklin with a sparkling 32.86 in the 12 years category.

In the female 50m Breast, Mia Monksmith claimed the club’s second silver of the day with 52.81 (PB by over 8 seconds) whilst Lucy Franklin (12 years), just pipped Poppy Awdry (13 years) for club bragging rights as they swam in the same heat with 45.10 and 45.13 respectively and both claimed bronze medals. Franklin’s time was also a PB by just over three seconds as she grows in confidence.

In the afternoon session on Saturday, Lloyd and Childs resumed their rivalry in the 100m Breast and this time Lloyd took the honours with 2:16.67 against 2:22.52. Another first timer, Ben Woodhams recorded 2:01.32 with Will Franklin continuing his improvements to post a two second best in 1:47.88.

Rose Llewhellyn took on the 400m free for the first time ever in either a short or long course pool and paced the race exceptionally well with very even 50m splits to touch home in 6:23.67.

Fordyce, Childs, Lloyd, Woodhams and Will Franklin were back in action in the 50m back. Fordyce claimed his second silver of the day with 50.11, Lloyd 55.10, Childs 55.77 & Woodhams 49.40 – all with all course best times, preceded a sixth place for Franklin in 42.23.

In the 50m Fly for Women, Monksmith posted 53.60 followed by Llewhellyn winning her first open meet medal with bronze in 37.26 which was two seconds faster than she had ever swum before even in a short course pool.

The third session of the day commenced with the 200m Breast and Monksmith slipped in with 4:03.70 for 8th. Valeria Antonini, another swimming with renewed confidence after making a final at County Champs, smashed her short course best by six seconds when she took silver in the 12 years age group with 3:27.58 and Lucy Franklin knocked a huge 15 seconds from her previous Long Course best for 7th in 3:32.86.

Both Antonini and Monksmith were in further action in the 100m Free with Mia claiming silver in 1:24.04 (all course pb) and Valeria clocking 1:15.93.

Sunday dawned with the Male 200m Individual Medley. Alex Howard just missed a medal, finishing fourth with 3:26.58 and then the meet continued with the Female 50m Free.

Monksmith, Antonini, Awdry and Llewhellyn resumed their rivalries from the previous day and were joined by Emily Besent (9 years) & Ameline Kreckel (10 years) in their first 50m pool races. Besent won her age group with 38.94, her first sub 40 second clocking in any length pool. Kreckel placed 5th with 39.13 and Monksmith took home the bronze in 36.19.

Antonini moves ever closer to going under 30 seconds and hit the pads in 31.99 for another bronze and Franklin recorded 37.96 (2.42 seconds pb). Awdry touched home in 32.26 and Llewhellyn picked up sixth place with 34.98.

Lloyd returned for the 50m Breast and posted 59.83 before Rafe Lawson (11) took gold in 48.54 and Will Franklin claimed bronze with 48.27. Howard swam his second race of the session and took home his first medal of the meet with yet another bronze in 47.35.

He also swam the 200m Back alongside Lawson recording 3:18.08 for gold to Lawson’s 3:37.83 (8th).

Besent swam the 100m Breast an won Gold again with 2:03.24. Monksmith was 10th in 1:56.71 with Antonini just shading Franklin (1:36.23 & 1:41.86) for Gold and sixth respectively. Also in the 100m Breast Llewhellyn carded 1:54.81 and was joined by Caitie Walters for her first race with 1:40.81 for Bronze in the 15 years category.

Besent completed her bemedalled day with silver in the 50 Back, posting 46.14 and was joined by Monksmith (5th, 45.49); Kreckel (9th; 46.23); Llewhellyn (7th, 41.92) and Awdry who came away with silver in 40.79.

In the same, afternoon, session Lawson picked up sixth in the 50m fly (41.98) with Will Franklin also sixth in 40.82.

Walters stepped up to the killer 200m Fly and swam away with the bronze medal in 3:11.00 to finish the penultimate session of the meet.

Into Sunday evening and Monksmith took bronze, to cap a busy two days for the youngster, in the 200m Free with 3:11.39 with a first swim from Emilia Faccini posting 3:25.07 and Will Franklin finished matters off with a commendable fifth in the 100m Free over four seconds faster than his long course pb with 1:16.93.

The club was looking in good shape ahead of the first round of the Herts Swimming League to come on the next Saturday at Borehamwood.