The blue and white colours of Hemel Hempstead Swimming Club were out in force this weekend with two teams competing in the first round of the Herts Major League. The blue team were at home competing in Division One, with the white team at Stevenage in Division Two.
For the blue team Hannah Bagley was on top form, putting in a personal best time in the u12 50m breaststroke to claim first place and scoring a PB again in the 50m butterfly to finish third.
First place also went to Victoria Fisher in the u14 100m backstroke, having scored a massive PB earlier in the Open event in which she finished second.
Thomas Sherriff took victory in the u14 100m freestyle, having scored a PB just a few races before in the 50m freestyle relay.
There were 24 personal best times during the evening with Freya Mayhew, Paige Wilding, Carly Dollman, Louis Dunham, Adam Daniell, Jamie Keevill and Tom Osborn all putting in two personal records each.
For the white team Kelsey Doyle came home first in the 100m breaststroke, both in her own age group, the u14’s,and, with a yet faster time, in the u16 event as well. Her sister, Kira, working her way back to fitness after a long-term injury, took first spot in the u14’s 100m freestyle.
Sam Piggot had a comfortable win in the u16’s 100m backstroke as well as coming third with a massive improvement on his previous personal best in the Open category.
Curtis Barnett swam a personal best to win the u14’s 50m butterfly and claimed another first with a PB once again in the 100m freestyle.
Laurence Hall broke his personal record to finish first in the u16’s 100m freestyle, later claiming second in the 100m breaststroke. Ben Page, u14, swimming in the 100m backstroke for the first time, came home a long way ahead of the competition.
Rebecca Farrow scored a first in the u12 25m freestyle event, whilst Emma Gower swam an ultra smooth 100m backstroke to win the u16 event in style.
On the overall points score, both the blue and the white teams finished in second place, raising hopes of a strong run in both divisions.