Personal best (PB) times were the order of the day as South Lincs Competitive Swimming Club’s top girls travelled to Sheffield’s Ponds Forge pool for the Derventio LC Open meet.
It was a tough day of competition for teenagers Andre Ubaviciute, Elisha Cookson, Emma Croker and Hannah Willis, who took part in 24 events between them for the Spalding-based club.
Head coach Callum Lawson attended, with the girls all hoping to achieve PB and qualifying times for the forthcoming Midland Age and Midland Youth Championships.
Starring with a fine set of results was Croker, who was first in the 50m fly, second in the 100m freestyle, third in the 50m back, fifth in the 50m freestyle, fifth 100m freestyle and fifth in the 200m back.
With PB times in five of her six events, it was a day to remember for her.
It was also a notable day for Ubaviciute, who enjoyed PB times in both the 200m IM and 100m backstroke events.
Cookson, meanwhile, was ninth in the 50m breaststroke, then clocked PBs in 100m freestyle, 100m fly and 200m breaststroke.
Willis, only recently back from her Scottish Age group Nationals in Glasgow, chose to compete in four races – with the expectation of being ranked in the top 24 with her squad for the English Summer Nationals 2018.
- 12-year-old South Lincs swimmer Nitesh Anbazhagan attended Chesterfield’s last chance qualifier open meet last weekend to compete in six events.
Amazingly, he set five new PB times in his 50m backstroke, 50m breaststroke, 200m breaststroke, 200m IM and 100m fly. He also achieved medals in the 100m fly (silver) and 50m, 100m and 200m breast (all bronze).
Well worth the journey during the school Easter holidays.
- A small team from South Lincs attended the City of Norwich Easter Long Course Meet, together with head coach Lawson, to swim against some strong competitors in the 50m pool.
This was a level one long course meet that included British Junior Summer Championship Qualification, with the Spalding based club qualifying for numerous finals.
The only male representing the club was Luke Blanchard, who was second in the 200m fly and sixth in the 200m breastroke, sixth in the 400m freestyle and eighth in the 200m IM.
Aurininijia Maliauskaite gave it her all to reach four finals, achieving a second place in the 100m freestyle and sixth in the 50m freestyle.
Daisy Rummery, meanwhile, came away with a respectable seventh place in the 400m free and eighth in the 200m backstroke.
Dusty Saines was fifth in her 200m fly and eighth in the 50m fly finals.
Emma Croker achieved third in the 200m free, sixth in the 100m free, fifth in the 100m backstroke and fourth in the 50m fly in a time of 31.27secs – where the 12-year-old hopes to qualify for English Summer Nationals.
Elisha Cookson and Andre Ubaviciute also joined the team for one day, competing in 13 events.
