Hemel Hempstead SC held their annual Sprint Club Championships over the last three weekends with members from aged 5 to Masters taking part. As always the competition was fierce, with 12 club records and many PBs broken in the quest for trophies and medals.
At the youngest end of the club, it was all one way traffic for the gold medals in the boys’ 7-and-under age group with Harrison Mills winning every 25m event. The 7-and-under girls shared the spoils more evenly, with Amber Stratford taking the freestyle and breaststroke, Sian Pirrie the ‘fly and Mackenzie Price the backstroke with a club record winning time.
The 8 year-old gold medals went to a different swimmer in every 25m event. In the boys it was Elliot Hutchings (freestyle) Ben Davies (butterfly) Callum Ginn (breaststroke) and Tom Cole (backstroke). For the girls it was Shona McKenna (freestyle) Jasmine Coe (‘fly) Georgia Purkis (breaststroke) and Holly Carter (backstroke).
Max Jelfs won six out of nine events in the 9-year boys, only losing the 50 and 100m breaststroke to Jamie Ayres, and the 100m backstroke to Samuel Hutchings. In the 9-year girls, Alice Fender took five wins, with Shamina Sherwani-Keeling winning both fly’s and the 50m breaststroke, and Hannah Goates coming through to top spot in the 100m backstroke.
Thushira Kumarage almost had it all his own way in the 10-year events, winning seven. But Ben Garratt snuck in with two wins in the 50m freestyle and ‘fly.
The 10-year girls was a different story with Megan Pirrie winning all nine events and beating two club records, in the 100m breaststroke and 100m ‘fly in the process.
Kyle Holmes got off to a great start the first weekend, winning the 11 years’ 50m breast, 100m IM and 100m free. But he had to withdraw due to injury from the remaining events. Tom Worrell took two of these in the 50m free and 100m breaststroke. Josh Gaines also won two – the 50m ‘fly and 100m backstroke – with Jonty Bier-Allen claiming the 50m backstroke.
There were some fantastically close displays in the 11-year battles between Aimee Abrey and Emily Jelfs, less than a second separating them in the 50m back and freestyle races. Abrey took the freestyle, along with the 50m and 100m breast and the 100m IM. Jelfs won the 50m and 100m backstroke, the 100m freestyle and the 50m butterfly. Lauren Windsor joined the party with a win in the 100m butterfly.
Lewis Beardsworth showed his recent improvements by winning six events in the 12-year boys, losing out to Carl Prince in the 50m and 100m breaststroke, and Louis Dunham in the 100m IM.
The 12-year girls saw Paige Wilding dominate, with six wins, losing out only in the 50m ‘fly and 100m breaststroke to Gabi Cole, and the 100m ‘fly to Becky Farrow.
Robert Sizeland enjoyed almost exclusive success in the 13-years events, with Charlie Cox just pipping him on the 50m freestyle.
The 13-year girls were dominated by Kelsey Doyle, who won all events apart from the 50m and 100m backstrokes, which saw Hannnah Bagley victorious. Doyle also posted a new club record in the 50m breaststroke.
For the 14-15 boys it was Sam Pigott who proved his rapidly improving form by winning seven events and scoring two club records in the 15 years’ 50m backstroke and 100m IM. This left the breaststroke golds to be divided between Adam Daniell, who won the 50m event, and Tom Sherriff, who took the 100m breaststroke. Sherriff also broke club records in the 14 years’ 100m freestyle and ‘fly and IM.
The 14-15 girls saw Lois Moore walking off with five trophies and two records in the 50m ‘fly and 100m free. Vickie Fisher won both backstrokes and the 100m breaststroke, and Kira Doyle claimed the 50m breaststroke.
Paul Mackie was sole competitor in the 16-24 boys, claiming the 50m ‘fly.
Gemma Brown and Amy Howard divided most of the spoils in the 16-24 girls. Brown claimed four events, including a club record in the 50m backstroke. Howard came top in three. Emma Jolly took two wins in the 100m ‘fly and 100m breaststroke.
Finally, the Masters saw Dave Pirrie and Kevin McKenna slugging it out for gold. McKenna pipped Pirrie in the overall tally with five wins to two.
The women’s Masters’ events saw Margot Wood winning the 50m breaststroke and 100m freestyle, Sue Nield the 50m and 100m backstroke, Liz Sherriff the 50m freestyle, and Claudia Cruttwell the 50m butterfly.
Results can be seen here