On the 18th/19th January 2014 Hemel Hempstead took 48 swimmers to the Watford County Qualifier gala at Woodside Leisure Centre. The swimmers produced a superb 73% of all swims being Personal Best times which is a fantastic effort from a long weekend of swimming.
The club took home 14 Gold, 15 Silver and 11 of Bronze Medals, leading the way was Aimee Abrey 15 who took home Gold in the 100m, 200m and 400m Freestyle events and Silver in the 100m Backstroke, other Gold medal winners included Emily Holland 14 in the 400m Freestyle, Kyle Holmes 14 in the 100m Individual Medley who also took home Silver in the 100m Breaststroke, Bronze in the 200m Backstroke and the 50m and 200m Breaststroke.
Matt Sherriff 16 who is the Boys Club Captain showed the way with a Gold and a Personal Best time in the 100m Freestyle. Grace Rayner 15 took Gold in the 50m Butterfly an event where Hemel swimmers came 2nd and 4th as well, she also took Bronze medals in the 50m Freestyle and Breaststroke events. Josh Gaines 15 was also a multiple medal winner taking home Gold in the 50m Freestyle with Silvers in the 100m Individual Medley, 200m Backstroke, 200m Individual Medley, 100m Backstroke, 50m Backstroke.
Charlie Rayner 12 took Gold in the 50m Breaststroke and Bronze in the 50m and 100m Freestyle, Reuben Balch 9 who was the youngest Hemel swimmer at the gala took Gold in the 50m Freestyle beating his personal best by almost 3 seconds.
Ashley Coombs 12 took Silvers in the 400m Freestyle and 200m Butterfly events, Paige Wilding demonstrated her versatility with Silvers in the 50m and 100m Breaststroke and 50m and 100m Butterfly with a Bronze in the 200m Backstroke, she also swam a time trial in the 200m Breaststroke narrowly missing her Regional Qualification time.
Jack Christie 15 who is a fast improving swimmer claimed Silver in the 100m Freestyle and Bronze in the 100m Individual Medley, Jacob Hutchings 15 took Silver in the 200m Freestyle and 100m Butterfly, Bronze in the 200m Backstroke. Alice Fender 12 took Silver in the 200m Individual Medley as did Keelin McKenna 14 who also took a Bronze in the 50m Backstroke, Keelin’s younger sister Shona 12 also took a Bronze in the 50m Backstroke.
Ellen Fender 15 took Bronze in the 100m Butterfly as did Georgia Purkis 11. Special mentions go to Molly McLoughlin 15 who achieved her first ever Regional Qualification Time in the 50m Backstroke and Hassann Zade 13 who recently joined the club competing in his first gala swam a number of time trials producing 7 County Qualification Times.
Other swimmers competing who produced a number of Personal Best and County Qualification Times were Lois Emery, Holly Carter, Sonny Carter, Harrison Newbury-Kemp, Amber Stratford, Billie Grant, Leanne Abrey, Loren Christie, Mattias Morse, Luke Pestaille, Jonny Farrow, Millie Anderton, Charlotte Hingston, Eleanor Bevan, Izzy Anderton, Yewande Bankole, Chris Cox, Shaminah Sherwani-Keeling, Seyi Bankole, Ciaran Kilbane, Joseph Coldwell, Elliot Davies, Ben Davies, Emily Young, Emily Kilbane and Olivia Gill