Medal Haul for Hemel Swimmers at Herts County Championships

Hemel Hempstead Swimming Club had a very successful county championships at Borehamwood in March bringing home 31 medals in total with three age group county champions! The club had 51 swimmers attending the championships with entries in 261 events overall. There were numerous personal best times and countless brilliant performances from the swimmers and some new Club records.

Freddie Woodcock (17) won four gold medals in his age group in the 50m Butterfly, 50m Backstroke, 200m Backstroke and 50m Freestyle. He also achieved two silver medals in the 100m Back and 100m freestyle as well as contributing to the bronze medal bought home by the senior men’s 4 x 100m freestyle relay team along with Tom Sherriff, Matt Sherriff and Paul Mackie.

12 year old Charlie Rayner won 10 medals for the club. Two Golds in the 400m Individual Medley and 100m freestyle, seven silvers for the 200m free, 100 IM, 100m Breaststroke, 200m Breaststroke, 50m butterfly, 100m butterfly and 50m freestyle and a bronze in the 50m breaststroke. Charlie also was awarded 2^nd place at the Herts BAGCAT presentation evening which takes into account total points over all events in the 12 year old boys age group at the county championships.

Another of Hemel’s County Champions was 9 Year old Reuben Balch who took Gold in the 200 fly and 200 Individual Medley and also silver in the 50 Butterfly, while Mason Mills, also 9 years old took two bronze medals in the 200 IM and 50 Breaststroke. Rueben was also placed 5^th in the overall BAGCAT’s rankings and Mason 8^th – an amazing achievement for both these young swimmers.

Grace Rayner, Aimee Abrey and Paige Wilding led the way for the girls bringing home bronze medals in the 400m Individual Medley and 100m Breaststroke for Grace, bronze for Aimee in the 50m Back and a bronze for Paige in the 50m Breast. Georgia Purkis also won a bronze in the 11 year old girls 50m Breaststroke.

The Sherriff brothers – Tom (open age group ) and Boy’s Club Captain, Matt (16) had a very successful champs with Tom making four championship finals and swimming a magnificent relay leg in the bronze medal winning 4x100m freestyle relay.   Matt won a silver in the 100m butterfly and bronze in the 50 fly and bronze in the freestyle relay.

In the BAGCAT rankings Millie Anderton was placed 8^th overall in the 9 yr old girls with top placings in the 50m freestyle (8^th) and 200m Individual Medley (6^th). Georgia Purkis narrowly missed the top 8 BAGCATS finishing 9^th in the 11yr old girls category.

There were more silver medals awarded to Josh Gaines (15) in the 200m Backstroke and Jacob Hutchings (15) 400m Individual Medley.

The distance events were well represented on the first weekend of the championships at Luton with Georgia Purkis, Leanne Abrey and Alice Fender all finishing 7^th in their age groups over the gruelling 800m freestyle. Shaminah Sherwani –Keeling finished 8^th and Tom Sherriff 7^th in the 1500m freestyle open event.

Hemel Hempstead Swimming Club continues to be one of the top clubs in Hertfordshire and many of it’s county swimmers are now preparing to head to the East of England Regional Championships in May and June. Head Coach Alan Doyle along with all the volunteer coaches are immensely proud of all the swimmers at the club who show such commitment and dedication to the club and their swimming.