FOLLOWING the previous week’s success in the first round of the Lincolnshire Age Group Championships the squad of Gainsborough Dolphins swimmers gained even more glory in round two. They returned from the Meres Pool at Grantham having amassed 36 top six places including five gold, seven silver and nine bronze medals. Each and every one of them should be proud of their efforts with some magnificent swims, plenty of personal best times and another successful outing in the last round should see them set a new record for collective medals. There was no doubting the race of the day which came in the Mens Open 100m breaststroke final with 15 year old David Trickett and 16 year old James Smith qualifying. Having already posted the fastest time of the day and personal best in the heats David secured gold in the 15 years age group whilst James also swam faster then previous to claim second in the 16/O age group. The final had the whole gallery on their feet as the two Dolphins swimmers along with two Lincoln Vulcans finalists were neck and neck down all four lengths of the pool. It came down to a very tight finish which saw David secure the silver and James just touched into fourth as both again swam sensational life time bests. These two also posted very fast personal best times as they gained success in the 100m Individual Medley (I/M) with James sixth in his age group and again in the Mens Open final whilst David again claimed silver in the boys 15 years. This duo also claimed a bronze each in their respective 50m butterfly age group whilst James finished a respectable fifth in the 16/O 400m freestyle. The closest finish of the day came in the girls 15 years 50m butterfly as Robyn Dand was rewarded with equal first place with the Boston SC swimmer as the judges could not separate them. Robyn also gained a bronze in the 200m backstroke whilst she placed seventh in the 100m I/M. Continuing their heroics from the first round 12 year old Henry Cawte and 13 year old Aarron Smith were both again in the medals. Double gold was secured by the younger in the 12 years 100m breaststroke and 100m I/M events along with a silver in the 400m freestyle whilst Aarron, despite being ill for some of the week, claimed two silvers (13 years 100m breaststroke and 50m butterfly) whilst he also placed third in the 100m I/M, fourth in the 200m backstroke and sixth in the 400m freestyle. The young starlets were also in tremendous form as 9 year olds James Beresford, Shannon Conway and Molly Creed all swam superbly. After just missing out on his first ever Age Group gold in the first round James made no mistake this time as he was victorious in the 400m freestyle ably supported by two silvers in the 100m I/M and 200m backstroke. Backing up her gold from the first week Shannon claimed two bronze medals with excellent performances in the 50m butterfly and 200m backstroke. Despite her best efforts Molly just missed out on a medal as she placed fifth in the 100m I/M in a life time best. Not to be outdone 10 year old William Walmsley and 11 year old Ewan McKay also secured silverware as they both claimed a deserved bronze in their 50m butterfly age groups whilst William also finished fifth in the 200m backstroke and 7th in the 100m I/M. The final medal was claimed by 11 year old Loveday Beresford as she secured bronze in the 400m freestyle whilst she just missed out on the medals in the 100m I/M finishing fourth. Despite new personal best times unlucky again was 13 year old Jack Boulton who finished fourth twice in the 400m freestyle and 50m butterfly. Jack also placed sixth in his 200m backstroke and 100m I/M events as did Megan Stevenson in the 16/0 100m I/M whilst she placed 8th in the 50m butterfly. 15 year old Ben Dalton and 16 year old Will Cawte were both unfortunate to miss out on medals as they placed 5th and fourth respectively in the 50m butterfly. Ben also finished 7th in his 200m backstroke event with Will 8th in the 16/O age group just behind team mate Peter Trickett in 7th. Peter also took the bragging rights as he finished 10th in the 100m I/M with Will in 17th and the former also claimed 8th in the 400m freestyle. The 13 and 14 year girls age groups are proving the most competitive and they were very creditable performances recorded by Heather Cooke (10th 13 years 50m butterfly), Tonicha Watson (15th 14 years 100m breaststroke and 16th 100m I/M)) and Georgia McKay (22nd 13 years 50m butterfly and 16th 13 years 200m backstroke). The Gainsborough swimmers return to the Meridian Leisure Centre at Louth for the final round in confident mood for more success.
