THE FIRST wave of Gainsborough Dolphins swimmers travelled to the very impressive Meridian Leisure Centre at Louth last weekend for the first of three consecutive weekends competing at the Lincolnshire County Age Group Championships. Racing against the top swimmers in the County the eighteen representatives managed 31 top six places including six gold’s, five silvers and five bronze medals. The hard winter training they have endured under the watchful eye of head coach Colin Pitchforth paid dividends from the first event of the day which saw 9 year old James Beresford claim silver in the 50m backstroke. The youngster from Sturton followed this up with two other impressive swims to claim another silver in the 9 years 200m breaststroke before settling for the bronze in the 200m Individual Medley (I/M). Despite having competed at other events nothing can prepare the younger swimmers for their first taste of this level of competition and as with James it was no different for the three girl representatives. Working hard and putting in the practice on her under water work paid huge dividends for 9 year old Shannon Conway who won gold with an impressive personal best time in the 50m backstroke. In the 9 years 200m breaststroke both Molly Creed and Grace Tooke beat the nerves to put in excellent swims with Molly placing fifth but a very harsh call from a judge saw Grace disqualified. Also receiving the rash of the officials on the day was 21 year old Emily Wright who faced the same treatment in her 200m breaststroke race. The stars of the first day were undoubtedly 12 year old Henry Cawte and 13 year old Aarron Smith with the former claiming two gold’s (200m breaststroke and 200m I/M) and one bronze medal in the 100m freestyle. Henry also claimed a silver medal in the boys 14/U overall standings to cap off some superb performances. Victories in the 100m butterfly and 200m breaststroke were followed up with bronze medals in the 200m I/M and 50m backstroke whilst Aarron also finished a creditable seventh in the 100m freestyle. The final gold on the first day was won by Robyn Dand in the girls 15 year age group 50m backstroke. Robyn just missed out on more medals as she finished fourth in the 100m freestyle and butterfly events whilst she finished sixth in the 200m I/M. Proud of his efforts after an excellent winters training saw 13 year old Jack Boulton smash his life time best to claim silver in the 100m freestyle whilst he placed fifth in the 200m I/M and 50m backstroke, sixth in the 200m breaststroke and seventh in the 100m butterfly. Also competing in their first Age Groups was 10 year olds Lydia Waring and William Walmsley with Lydia claiming sixth in the 50m backstroke and William a creditable tenth in the boy’s equivalent. Facing some very talented opposition in the eldest age group 16 year old James Smith claimed bronze in the 200m breaststroke, sixth in the 50m backstroke and two eighth places in the 200m I/M and 100m butterfly events. In his favourite event, the 100m freestyle, he claimed sixth place in his age group and also qualified for the final of the Mens Open event as eight fastest. Improving on his place by one he came home in a respectable time to finish as seventh fastest in the County. In the same event 15 year old David Trickett was nineteen hundredths from beating the magic minute as he finished seventh whilst he finished fourth in the 100m butterfly, fifth in the 200m breaststroke and seventh in the 200m I/M. A silver medal in the 100m freestyle was the reward for 11 year old Loveday Beresford as she competed at her first Age Groups whilst she finished fifth in the 100m butterfly. Dolphins boasted the oldest competitor on the day as 38 year old Chris Webster finished 14th in the 16/O 100m butterfly ahead of team mates Will Cawte (16th) and Peter Trickett (18th). Will also finished seventh in the 50m backstroke with Peter tenth whilst the latter just edged Will out in the 100m freestyle as they finished 19th and 20th respectively. Just missing out on a top six place in two events was Megan Stevenson in the girls 16/O 50m backstroke and 100m freestyle as she finished seventh in both whilst she placed tenth in the 100m butterfly. The remaining representatives at the opening round were Charlotte Smith (10th girls 10 years 50m backstroke), Tonicha Watson (14th girls 14 years 200m breaststroke) and Georgia McKay (18th girls 13 years 50m backstroke and 19th in the 100m butterfly). The Meres Pool at Grantham is the venue for the second round this weekend and is the same pool that hosted the long distance Age Group events last month in which Henry won silver in the boys 12 years 1500m freestyle and Loveday placed fifth in the girls 11 years 800m freestyle.
