Hemel Swimming Club’s Blue team travelled to Hitchin to compete in Division One of the Herts Peanuts League, finishing third behind Hatfield and Potters Bar.
On the night there were individual wins for Edward Shaw, Megan Pirrie and the boys 11 year old 4 x 25m Freestyle relay team comprising Ashley Coombes, Edward Shaw, Sam Gaines and Harrison Mills. 10 individual Personal Best times were achieved by Amber Stratford, Charlotte Hingston, Alice Fender, Alfie Abrey, Jamie Ayres, Keelin McKenna, Alex Wood, Eleanor Bevan and Megan Pirrie. The evening was rounded off by a 2nd place in the 8 x 25m Squadron race.
Swimmers of the gala were Shamina Sherwani-Keeling, who swam a number tough races almost one after another and Harrison Mills.
Meanwhile Red team travelled to Potters Bar to compete in Division Two, improving on their first round result by winning through to third place in a close fought battle with neighbours Tring.
An improved performance saw the team achieve nine first places on the night from Rebecca Sewell, Jasmine Coe, Clara-Mae Stidever, Georgia Purkis and Jake Smith in their individual events and from the Under 11 Girls 4 x 25m Medley relay team of Georgia Purkis, Holly Talland, Jasmine Coe & Jessica Hubbard, the Under 12 Boys 4 x 25m Freestyle team of Adam Sawyer, Luke Carl, Dylan Cohen & Cameron Lennon-Fakes, the Under 11 Boys 4 x 25m Freestyle team of Tyler O’Brien, Jonny Farrow, Jake Smith and Ben Hubbard and the Under 12 Girls 4 x 25m Medley relay team of Georgia Purkis, Leila Marsden, Nell Baughan and Rebecca Sewell.
It was a clean sheet with no disqualifications and a total of 40 Personal Best times, with great swims from every member of the team. Swimmer of the Gala medals were awarded to Chloe Purkis and Luke Carl.
White team went to Borehamwood on the same evening to compete in Division Three of the League. Once again they were obliged to declare Over-Age swimmers in six events and had to ‘lend’ a swimmer to Blue Team which left them under-strength and finishing in sixth place. Despite that some strong and committed swims saw the team achieve 37 Personal Best times – the Under 13 Girls 4 x 25m Medley relay team of Hanna Beckers, Lauren Christie, Maisie Vincent and Jessica Smith all posted PB’s in their very strong age group.
Nathan Lodge (who won a Swimmer of the Gala medal) won his Under 12 Boys 25m Freestyle race with a Personal Best time of 17.31 whilst Emily Kilbane, Ben Davies, Katie Beck, Alex Eades, Zara Rafiq-Craske, Jessica Trezona, Elliot Hutchings, Amelia Gillespie, Igor Kaspin, Tarryn Smith, Emmy Bier-Allen, Sid Woodcock, Oliver Bell, Jamie Sewell, Tom Cole, Chris Cox, Emily Keenan and Kieren Brevern also set new Personal Best times.