Hemel Swimmers start their Peanuts 2009 Campaign
Hemel Hempstead SC started their Peanuts campaign in style this weekend with their three teams showing depth of talent. The Blue team kicked off with a resounding win in Division One, the Red team finished third in Division Two, whilst the White team came sixth out of eight in Division Three.
For the Blue team, at the QE School, there were individual wins for Captains Kelsey Doyle and Frederick Woodcock in the u13 50m breaststroke and backstroke respectively, as well as a victory for Kyle Holmes swimming a personal best in the u11 25m breaststroke.
With 19 top three individual finishes, the team looked like strong contenders throughout the evening, but it was in the relay swims where they really pulled out a decisive lead.
The u13 boys’ team of Ben Page, Robert Sizeland, Arthur Woodcock and Frederick Woodcock were unbeaten, comfortably winning both relays. The u11 girls of Aimee Abrey, Lucy Hutchins, Alisha Kan and Emily Jelfs took the freestyle relay, as did the u11 boys of Kyle Holmes, Tom Worrell, Jonty Bier-Allen and Thushira Kumerage. The u12 girls, Paige Wilding, Gabrielle Cole, Freya Mayhew and Hannah Bagley, also finished first in the freestyle relay and, to round off a great evening, the 8x 25m Squadron finished first by a clear margin.
For the Red Team, at Potters Bar, Molly McLoughlin took the u12 backstroke with a personal best time. Lauren Windsor PB’d in, and won, the u11 butterfly. Ellen Fender took the u11 breaststroke and Rani Kumerage won the u13 freestyle with a personal best time.
There were many more personal best times with several swimmers earning more than one. Joseph Newman, 9, Josh Gaines, u11, Lewis Beardsworth, u12, and Rani Kumerage, u13, each put in three PBs. Liam Patfield, Chloe Worrell, and Chloe Purkiss swam two personal records apiece.
The White Team, competing at Borehamwood, included many young swimmers experiencing their very first gala. Yewande Bankole took the sole win in the u11 breaststroke. Second places were scored by Victoria Lees in the u13 breaststroke and James Attenborough in the same event in the u12’s. Third spot went to Rachel Chesterton in the u12 butterfly, Fiona Cox in the u11 backstroke and Abigail Attenborough in the u13 butterfly.
The u12 boys’ team of Joshua Long, James Attenborough, William Loader and Ben Johnson came second in the medley relay and third in the freestyle relay.
Hemel Hempstead is the only club in the league that fields three teams, an achievement in itself that was underlined by this weekend’s promising results.
To see a picture of the Blue Team at QE boys, go to the photos section of this website or click here.