The swimmers from Gainsborough Dolphins brought an end to their 2011 Lincolnshire County Age Groups with more outstanding performances and personal best times. Collecting a further 23 medals in the third and final round at Louth they took their collective total to an impressive 61 medals. Achieving a mammoth 37 top six places at the Meridian Pool it capped a fine month for the Club in their first representation at these championships since the launch of the new club in January. Huge praise not only to the swimmers but to the Club coaches for their efforts in preparing the swimmers. Special mention must go to the commited parents and supporters who bared the heat of the spectator balcony through three consecutive Saturdays to give their rousing support. After collecting his first ever gold the previous week 9 year old James Beresford capped a fine Age Groups with another victory in the 50m breaststroke whilst silver in the 50m freestyle brought his personal tally to eight medals as he ended with a fifth in the 200m freestyle. Top dog for Dolphins was undoubtedly 12 year old Henry Cawte as he won gold, his fifth in total, in the 50m breaststroke whilst he claimed silver medals in the 50m and 200m freestyle to complete his 12 medal haul. Success at last came the way of Megan Stevenson in the girls 16/0 age group as she was finally rewarded with silver in the 200m freestyle and bronze in the 100m backstroke. Also in the medals for the first time this year was Emily Wright in the 16/O 50m breaststroke as she was rewarded with silver whilst in the girls 9 years Molly Creed finished fifth in this event before she gained two bronze medals. In the 200m freestyle she swam a huge life time best and in the 50m freestyle she beat her team mate Shannon Conway into fourth, an event where Emily placed ninth and Megan sixth in the 16/O age group. Medals in this event also came the way of Loveday Beresford as she won a bronze in the 11 years age group with Robyn Dand also claiming bronze in the girls 15 years. Loveday also placed third in the 200m freestyle as did Robyn in the 100m backstroke whilst the latter just missed out in the 50m breaststroke as she finished fourth. Despite suffering with two cracked ribs Aarron Smith swam though the pain to claim silver in the 13 years 200m butterfly, an event which saw him claim second overall in the boy’s 14/U age group. Aarron also claimed bronze in the 400m Individual Medley (I/M) but missed out on the medals in the 100m backstroke and 50m freestyle as he placed fifth and sixth respectively with a ninth place in the 200m freestyle as he finished with a respective ten medals over the Championships. The mantle of unluckiest swimmer over the three rounds belongs to 13 year old Jack Boulton who despite winning silver in the 50m freestyle again missed the medals as he finished fourth in the 400m I/M, 50m breaststroke and 200m freestyle. Following their success in the 100m breaststroke in the second round both 15 year old David Trickett and 16 year old James Smith again claimed medals in the shorter 50m event. David finished second in his age group with James third in his whilst the former also claimed bronze in the Open age group with James sixth overall. David also won silver in the 15 years 200m butterfly which saw him claim fifth spot in the Open age group whilst he finished sixth in the 50m freestyle. Up against some very fast swimmers James put in some very creditable performances to finish fourth in the 400m I/M, seventh in the 200m freestyle, eighth in the 100m backstroke and 14th in the 50m freestyle. The boys 16/0 age group saw Peter Trickett finish fifth in the 200m butterfly and 11th in the 200m freestyle whilst he was a place behind team mate William Cawte in the 100m backstroke as they placed tenth and 11th. William also placed 16th in the 50m breaststroke while 10 year old William Walmsley gained two personal bests as he came fifth in the 50m freestyle and eighth in the 200m freestyle. More life time bests were achieved by the remaining representatives from the Gainsborough outfit with Lydia Waring (6th 10years 50m freestyle and 7th 50m breaststroke), Charlotte Smith (8th 12 years 50m breaststroke and 12th 100m backstroke) Hollie Watkins (12th 10 years 50m freestyle), Heather Cooke (11th 13 years 50m freestyle and 8th 50m breaststroke), Tonicha Watson and Jaymie Conran both ninth in the 14 and 15 years 50m breaststroke respectively with Georgia McKay (17th 13 years 100m backstroke and 24th 50m freestyle).
