Mountain of medals for swimmers

In 155 swims across the four sessions at Woodside Pool the team recorded 95 pbs, 14 golds, 16 silvers, 26 bronzes and 10 club bests – with 12 swims quicker than the previous bests.

The meet began with a standout swim from Evie Watson (11 years) smashing her 200 IM pb by almost 34 seconds, winning her heat by a street in 3:06.45.

Amelie Baker knocked on the 3 minute door when improving 10 seconds whilst Amy Pemberton held the club 14 years 200 IM best for just over five minutes before Charlotte Watson (pb) dropped it 2 heats later to 2:37.18.

Callum Bullock and George Thorne were both inside three minutes for the first time and there were pbs for Zac Patel, Jamie Hoyes (returning to competition after breaking his ankle) and a 9 second improvement from Peter Lever .

In the 100 breast there was silver for Callum Bullock (pb) as well as bronze for Kieran Mallory, Patel and Harry Thorne with pbs too for Danny Hoyes, Baker, Evie Watson and Tom Strakosch.

The 100 Back saw Izzy Sansom and Amy Stoker take first and second in their heat with Sansom chopping over three seconds from her best. Izzie Soulsby cruised to silver in the same 12 years age group as did Patel (pb) and Charlotte Watson, Callum Bullock, Hoyes and Lever all chipped in with bronze swims.

Tamsin Moren swam 10 events and made her first pb of the weekend in the 50 Fly clocking 50.19. Pemberton destroyed her opposition in her heat off the turn and Baker, Amy Stoker, Mallory (heat win), both George and Harry Thorne and Sam Newman adding to the haul of pb times. Next event up was the 100 Fly and Stoker led from the front to win her heat by 3 seconds for her first medal (bronze) of the meet. Charlotte Watson improved by 1.4 seconds and then Patel ripped up the form book to swim 1:14.33 for silver, a medal matched by Hoyes in his age group as well.

Soulsby’s self-belief was evident in the 200 Free where she won gold again in a 2:24.61 whilst Sansom dropped almost 8 seconds herself before Pemberton showed her form to relieve Watson of the 14 years 200 Free best and take it under 2:20 for the first time.

For the boys James Boylan kicked off by dropping over 12 seconds. James Corner has worked on his technical flaws and powered to gold in his 200 Free with 2:30.16 and Mallory & Harrison Bullock both improved their bests before Hoyes claimed bronze and Lever won his heat, improved by 5 seconds and took age group gold.

In the 50 Back Evie Watson set a new pb, Soulsby won bronze (pb), Charlotte Watson silver, Callum Bullock bronze alongside Patel and Hoyes whilst Lever had silver and Corner brought in the Gold.

Day 2 began with the 200 Back and 7 out of 8 swims being pbs for both Thorne brothers & Lever (3rd place overall) for the boys and Moren (bronze) Evie Watson, Stoker (almost 5 seconds), and Sansom whilst Charlotte Watson took silver.

Moren returned refreshed and took silver in the 100 IM with a 6 second pb. Evie Watson, Sansom, Helena Martin, Stoker and Pemberton (Gold) all swam quicker than ever before as did Mallory (heat win by about 10 metres), Marley Maidment (heat win), Danny Hoyes (10 seconds) Callum Bullock (Bronze), Hoyes (silver), Harry Thorne & Ollie Martin. Pemberton stepped up yet again to win gold.

The 50 Free saw golds for Corner, Jamie Hoyes and Lever. Charlotte Watson and Pemberton resumed their battle for top club 14 year old with Watson coming out on top by 0.14 seconds (29.00 to 29.14).

Moren gained possibly the biggest round of applause for her gutsy swim in the 200 Fly where she was the only 9 year old. She held her form together for all 8 lengths to lower her best for a new club best to add to those she set in the 200 Back and 100 IM as well.

Marley Maidment and Callum Bullock both improved in their 200 Breast before Moren was back up for her own 200 Breast and took bronze. Evie Watson went quicker as did Baker in taking bronze before Charlotte Watson took 14 years gold and Soulsby stormed away to win her heat, the gold medal and break the club record with 3:01.16.

In the 100 Free Corner smoked the pool to take second in the heat and gold in age with 1:09.51. Lever is knocking on the sub 60 door for his 100 Free as he took gold in 1:01.76 and Jamies Hoyes won his heat and took gold in 59.23.

For the girls, Sansom and Baker claimed first and second in the heat. Pembertonshone by taking the club best, posting 1:02.86 for bronze.

The final main event was the 50 Breast and Callum Bullock, Jamie Hoyes (bronze), Soulsby (silver) and Pemberton (bronze). Moren also claimed another silver medal.

Evidence of Soulsby’s improvements could be seen in that in both her 200 Free & 200 Breast she set pbs for 100m as well in both races. Evie Watson set her 50 Fly pb in the first two lengths of her 200 IM and other ‘interim’ pbs went to Tom Strakosch and James Boylan.