On Sunday 28th November the South Lincs swimmers had the opportunity to compete in their home pool, as the Castle played host to the first South Lincs Autumn Open Meet to take place.

The competition was attended not only by South Lincs athletes, but swimmers from City of Lincoln Pentaqua, Deepings and Corby Swimming Clubs. The meet was an opportunity for the club’s newer and younger swimmers to experience competition and many of them set new personal best times and won medals, some of them for the first time ever at a competition. There were also a number of new club records achieved over the course of the day.

Kitty Lamb had another exceptional meet claiming ten gold medals from her ten swims in the course of the day. Kitty’s outstanding results came across the breaststroke distances. As Kitty swept to gold in the 50m, 100m and 200m events she also claimed new club records in all three distances. Kitty posted a new personal best time of 41.98 seconds in the shortest event and then bettered her own club record in the 100m breaststroke with a time of 1.32.29. Kitty then lowered her 200m breaststroke time by more than three seconds to stop the clock in a new personal best of 3.22.48. Kitty rounded out her day with a fourth new club record in the 50m butterfly as she sped over the distance to finish in another personal best time of 35.69 seconds.

Charlie Bisby, competing in the boys 10 years age group, collected eight gold medals from his eight swims of the day. Charlie contested some of his less preferred events and came away with a number of new personal best times. Charlie’s biggest improvement came in the 200m breaststroke where he dropped over twelve seconds from his best time to set a new standard of 3.49.14. There was also a big improvement in the 200m butterfly where Charlie went on to lower his personal best time by almost eight seconds as he stopped the clock in a new best of 3.35.67.

Charlie Ward had a successful meet as he collected six medals over the course of the day. Charlie topped the podium in the boys 11 years age group 100m freestyle as he posted a new personal best time of 1.21.20 to claim gold. Charlie added a silver medal to his personal haul in the longer 200m freestyle with a huge new personal best time, lowering his previous mark by over fourteen seconds. Charlie touched home in a new personal best of 3.03.59. Charlie also collected four bronze medals and set new personal best times in all events in which he claimed a medal, these came in the 50m freestyle, 50m breaststroke, 100m backstroke and the 100m individual medley.

Isaac Bowman was a medallist over the weekend. Isaac showed his talent across the individual medley events as he swept to a bronze medal in the boys 11 years age group in the 200m individual medley with a big new personal best time of 3.46.44. In the shorter 100m individual medley, Isaac went one better and took the silver medal in a great swim where he lowered his personal best time by over eleven seconds. Isaac touched the wall in a new personal best time of 1.40.58 to claim his medal. Isaac also added a bronze medal in the 200m freestyle to his collection again in a new personal best time of 3.08.07

Sophie Bolton had a successful meet as she collected four medals across a range of events. Competing in the girls 10 years age group Sophie took a brace of silver medals in in the 200m freestyle and the 100m backstroke with times of 3.40.20 and 1.52.06 respectively. Sophie also took a brace of bronze medals in new personal best times in the 100 freestyle where Sophie touched home in a time of 1.38.02, and in the 50m butterfly with another best time of 58.06 seconds.

In the boys 9 years age group, Francesco Monaco swept to stunning twelve gold medals from twelve events. On route to all his victories, Francesco set numerous new personal best times. Some of Francesco’s biggest improvements came in the 200m distances. In the 200m backstroke, Francesco lowered his personal best time by more than twenty seconds to stop the clock in a new best time of 3.13.27. In the 200m individual medley Francesco lowered his personal best time by more than sixteen seconds to set a new mark of 3.13.20. In the 200m breaststroke there was yet another personal best time of more than seven seconds for Francesco as he set a new standard of 3.45.79.

Aaron Sadler had a successful meet as he claimed four gold medals and three silver medals in the boys 11 years age group. Aaron showed himself to be a master of butterfly as he took top spot in his age group in the 50m, 100m and 200m distances. Aaron also added a gold medal in the 50 backstroke in a new personal best time of 42.76 seconds. Aaron’s silver medals came in the 200m backstroke where he dropped over fourteen seconds off his best time to set a new standard of 3.20.67. There was also silver for Aaron in the 50m and 100m freestyle, both in new personal best times of 36.26 seconds and 1.22.69 respectively.

John Boor won his first ever swimming medal in the boys 15 years and over age group and did this in some style by taking the gold medal. In the 200m butterfly John maintained a steady rhythm to hold his stroke together throughout the race. John touched home in his first attempt at this event in new personal best time of 4.09.20 to take top spot in the oldest age group at the meet.

Emily Briggs collected two bronze medals over the course of the meet. Emily struck bronze in the girls 12 years age group in the 200m backstroke. Only just back from illness, Emily put in a fine performance to finish in a time of 3.09.13. Emily then went on to tackle one of the hardest events in the programme, the 200m butterfly. Emily contested this event for the first time and swam strongly to touch home in a new personal best time of 3.47.40 to claim her second bronze medal of the day.

Morgan Griffin set a host of new personal best times throughout the meet. However Morgan’s moment came in the 200m breaststroke. Morgan swam strongly throughout the race to lower his best time by almost twenty seconds as he touched the wall in a new personal best time of 4.20.22. Morgan’s time was enough to see him top the podium in this event, in the boys 11 years age group and claim the gold medal.

Jess Herriott struck bronze in the girls 13 years age group in her preferred 200m backstroke event. Jess was just marginally outside her best but still swam a strong race to touch the wall in a time of 3.04.91 to claim her medal.

Aliyah Mohamed was also a bronze medallist. Aliyah took home the bronze medal in the girls 10 years age group, 50m breaststroke. Aliyah smashed her own personal best time in the event by an astonishing fourteen seconds, to touch the wall in a new personal best of 56.13 seconds to take her medal.

Zofia Nowak was a bronze medallist. Zofia took on the 200m breaststroke event for the first time and was a rewarded with a bronze medal in the girls 13 years age group as she posted a new personal best time of 3.48.61.

Reuben Owen had a successful day of swimming as he claimed six medals. Reuben topped the podium on three occasions to take home a hat trick of gold medals. Reuben swam to a new personal best in the 200m freestyle of 2.51.48 to take his first gold medal in the boys 11 years age group. Reuben followed this up with gold medals in both the 100m and 200m backstroke. For good measure Reuben took silver in the 100m breaststroke in a new personal best time of 1.55.77 and added bronze medals in the 100m freestyle and the 50m backstroke.

Grace Ravell claimed a bronze medal in the girls 14 years age group 100m breaststroke. Grace swam to a new personal best time of 1.56.46 in this event to claim her medal. Grace had a tremendous day of swimming as she posted new personal best times in eight events. Grace’s biggest improvement came in the 200m individual medley with an improvement of almost twenty seconds to finish in a new standard of 3.30.03.

Sophia Shackleston added to the medal haul of the clubs younger swimmers as she claimed a silver medal in the girls 11 years age group 100m backstroke. Sophia set a new personal best by more than seven seconds to finish in a new personal best time of 1.43.77 to claim her medal. Sophia also set new personal best times in the 100m breaststroke and the 50m backstroke with times of 1.56.09 and 50.43 seconds respectively.

Natalie Taylor won a brace of medals. Natalie took the bronze medal in the girls 11 years age group 100m backstroke with a big new personal best time of 1.45.63. In the longer 200m backstroke event, Natalie went one better and claimed the silver medal again in a new personal best time of 3.42.55.

Head Coach, Keith Haynes said "I am delighted with the performances that the clubs 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."

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by Website Admin