Swimmers at Hemel Hempstead SC have now completed the third and final round of their annual Middle Distance Club Champs. The championships saw 9 club records fall and a number of County and Regional Qualifying Times posted along the way.
Alice Fender and Max Jelfs, in the nine-year girls and boys categories, made a clean sweep, winning five out of five events entered. Max set a new club record in the 200m freestyle.
Other swimmers who dominated their age groups were Kyle Holmes, 11-year boys, Hannah Bagley, 13-year girls and Tom Sherriff, 14-15-year boys, who all won six out of six events, and Sam Pigott, 16-24 boys who claimed five out of five.
Club Captain Tom Sherriff picked up no less than three club records in the 200m and 400m freestyle and the 200m breaststroke.
Kyle Holmes broke his own previous record in the 200m breaststroke.
Two swimmers who were one race short of a clean sweep were 11 year-old Thushira Kumarage and 12 year-old Paige Wilding. Kumarage won five events, losing out to Ben Garratt on the 200m IM with Wilding being beaten only on the 200m butterfly by Becky Farrow.
The 10 year girls’ category was a more mixed affair. Shaminah Sherwani-Keeling took the 200m IM, backstroke and breaststroke. The 200m freestyle fell to Hannah Goates, with Nell Baughan triumphing in the 400m freestyle.
In the 11-year girls, Megan Pirrie won four out of six events: the 200m freestyle and butterfly going to Lucy Hutchins.
The 12-year boys divided the spoils between four swimmers. Peter Kennett took both 400m and 200m freestyle events. Carl Prince won the 200m butterfly and breaststroke, whilst Luke Ashton took the 200m IM and Josh Gaines the 200m backstroke.
Matt Sherriff claimed the 400m freestyle, 200m IM and 200m breaststroke in the 13- year boys. Oliver Ayres and Lewis Beardsworth won the 200m backstroke and freestyle respectively.
In the 14-15 girls’ category, Club Captain Lois Moore set a new club record with her win in the 200m butterfly, also claiming first in the 200m freestyle. Devon Prior claimed the 200m breaststroke and 200m IM. Darcy Holmes took the 400m freestyle with Kelsey Doyle winning the 200m backstroke.
The 16-24 girls saw Emma Jolly winning the 400m and 200m freestyle, the 200m backstroke and the 200m butterfly. On the last night of the championships, however, Steffi Huntingford lifted the 200m IM and Lauren Wilding the 200m breaststroke.
Not to be outdone by the club’s younger swimmers, there were three new club records set by members of the Masters section. Kevin McKenna claimed gold and two records in the 200m backstroke and 200m freestyle. Dave Pirrie meanwhile broke the record with his 400m freestyle win and claimed gold in the 200m breaststroke.
Well done to all the swimmers and a special congratulations to those younger swimmers taking on the 200m events for the first time.
These included Jonny Farrow who was fastest 8 year-old in the 200m freestyle, and Jessica Trezona and Tyler O’Brien who both topped the 8 year old’s 200m breaststroke event.