Spalding’s Castle Sports Complex played host to the first South Lincs Open Meet last week – and it was a case of medals, club records and new personal best (PB) times galore for the home club’s swimmers.
The South Lincs Competitive Swimming Club members were joined by rivals from City of Lincoln Pentaqua, Deepings and Corby at the meeting, which was an opportunity for the club’s newer and younger swimmers to experience competition.
Kitty Lamb had an exceptional meet, claiming ten gold medals from her ten swims. Her best results came across the breaststroke distances, as she swept to gold in the 50m, 100m and 200m events with new club records.
The amazing Lamb also set a fourth new club record in the 50m butterfly.
In the boys’ ten years age group, Charlie Bisby bagged eight golds from eight swims. He contested some of his less preferred events and came away with a number of PBs – including in the 200m breaststroke where he dropped over 12 seconds.
Charlie Ward (boys’ 11 years) had a successful meet as he collected six medals. He starred in the 100m freestyle as he posted a PB to claim gold, before adding a silver (200m freestyle, 14-second PB) and four bronzes.
In the same category, Isaac Bowman was also a medallist over the weekend. He took silver in a PB to win the 100 IM, before bronze came in the 200 IM (big PB) and 200m freestyle (also a PB).
Team-mate Sophie Bolton had a successful meet as she collected four medals across a range of events. Her best results were a a brace of silver medals in in the 200m freestyle and the 100m backstroke.
In the boys’ nine years age group, Francesco Monaco swept a stunning 12 gold medals from as many events.
He clocked numerous PB times, with his best effort coming in the 200m backstroke, where he knocked 20 seconds off his previous best, and in the the 200m IM where he improved by 16 seconds.
Meanwhile, Aaron Sadler had a successful meet as he claimed four gold medals and three silver medals in the boys’ 11 years age group.
He proved himself to be a master of butterfly as he took top spot in his age group in the 50m, 100m and 200m distances.
Sadler also added a gold medal in the 50m backstroke in a new PB.
John Boor won his first ever swimming medal in the boys’ 15 years and over age group – and did it in some style by taking the gold medal in the 200m butterfly (PB).
Emily Briggs (12 years) collected two bronze medals over the course of the meet, including a PB in one of the hardest events in the programme – the 200m butterfly.
Team-mate Morgan Griffin set a host of new PB times throughout the meet in the boys’ 11 years group, but his moment came in the 200m breaststroke with a 20-second best en-route to a gold medal.
Although marginally short of her PB, Jess Herriott struck bronze in the girls’ 13 years age group in her preferred 200m backstroke event.
Aliyah Mohamed was also a bronze medallist in the girls’ ten years age group, setting a stunning 14-second PB in 50m breaststroke.
Likewise, Zofia Nowak (13 years) was a bronze medallist with a new best in the 200m breaststroke.
Elsewhere, Reuben Owen had a successful day of swimming as he claimed six medals – including a hat-trick of gold medals.
He swam to a new PB in the 200m freestyle, before following that up with gold medals in both the 100m and 200m backstroke.
Grace Ravell claimed a bronze medal in the girls’ 14 years’ age group 100m breaststroke in a new PB, before clocking new bests in eight other swims including a new standard in the 200m IM that was almost 20 seconds faster.
Sophia Shackleston added to the medal haul of the club’s younger swimmers as she claimed a silver medal in the girls’ 11 years age group 100m backstroke with yet another PB time.
Finally, Natalie Taylor won a brace of medals as she took the bronze medal in the girls’ 11 years age group 100m backstroke with a big new PB.
In the longer 200m backstroke event, she went one better and claimed the silver medal, again in a new PB.
South Lincs head coach Keith Haynes said: “I am delighted with the performances that the club’s younger swimmers have shown over the course of the day.
“I am pleased not only to see new personal best times, but also that so many of the swimmers have collected medals to take home.
“Whilst there have been some good performances from the older swimmers attending the meet, this really has been an opportunity for the younger swimmers in the club to shine and achieve.”
