Hemel Hempstead SC’s 2011/12season got underway with the first round of the Arena League at Borehamwood. A total of twenty top three finishes, including eight new PBs, saw the club finish a commendable third place out of the eight teams competing.
Devon Prior got the team off to a positive start with a second place finish in the Open 200m Individual Medley recording the first personal best time of the night. Prior went on to claim third spot in the 15/u breaststroke.
The three individual wins recorded on the night all went to boys in the 11/u age group. Max Jelfs took the backstroke, Ben Garratt the butterfly, and Joe Prior the freestyle. With Thushira Kumarage coming second in the individual breaststroke it was no surprise that the 11/u boys’ team won both their relay races.
The 13/u girls of Molly McLoughlin, Paige Wilding, Emily Jelfs and Aimee Abrey were the next most successful relay team, coming second in both their races.
Abrey also succeeded in claiming an individual second in the 100m backstroke, with Wilding scoring two third places in the breaststroke and butterfly.
Other top three spots went to Sam Pigott in the Open 200m IM, Charlotte Ballard in the 15/u freestyle and Peter Kennett with a PB in the 13/u backstroke.
Other PB’s fell to Carl Prince (13/u breaststroke), Charlotte Ballard (15/u backstroke), Shaminah Sherwani (11/u butterfly), Robert Sizeland (13/u butterfly), Lois Moore (open backstroke) and Maisie Vincent (11/u breaststroke).
The Swimmers of the Gala medals were awarded to brother and sister, Joe and Devon Prior.