The youngsters of Swindon Swim Squad were back in Southern Junior action at the weekend, with both the A and B teams achieving second place finishes in the second round of galas. These performances mean that there is a strong possibility of both teams figuring in the final in June where they will again have the opportunity to take on the competition favourites, Ferndown.
It was the A team who came up against Ferndown in this round, and despite leading after ten swims, and being within 5 points of the Dorset club until event 30, SX3 had to be content with a commendable and comfortable second place on the night in Bournemouth. The Swindon team accumulated a total of 13 first place finishes, nine of which came from the 9 and 10 year age groups, underlining the promise of the young emerging swimmers, many of whom have very little competitive experience.
In the relays, there was freestyle and medley success for the Boys’ 10 year squad of Tom Codling, Noah Kirby, Alex Eburne, Liam Jefferies & Alex Chantler. The Boys’ 9 year 4x25m freestyle quartet of Sam Hunter, Adam Brown, Sami Donmez and William Pilsworth, and the girls Girls’ 10 year 4x25m medley team of Samantha Reeves, Georgia Pearce, Maddie Easter, & Georgina Pitts also came home first.
The Girls’ & Boys’ 11 year and the Boys’ 12 year freestyle & medley squads all had to settle for second place as did the Boys’ 9 year medley and the 8x25m freestyle mixed age teams.
In the 9 year old 25m individual events, Abbey Hawkins won the freestyle, Donmez took the backstroke while Alice Beaney and Hunter secured the butterfly. Kirby and Codling were unsurpassed in the 10 year 50m breaststroke and backstroke respectively and Charlotte Pitts stormed to victory in the Girls’ 11 year 50m breaststroke. In the 12 year category, Sophie Roberts captured the 50m freestyle and Sam Berry timed her race to perfection to win the 50m butterfly.
There were also admirable second place finishes for William Pilsworth, Jack Janicki, Easter, Eburne, Charlotte Pitts, Niall Westman, Kirby, Roberts and Mat Sambrook.
Results:
1. Ferndown – 249 points
2. Sx3 A – 228
3. Christchurch Seagulls – 158
4. Bradford on Avon – 144
5. Southwold – 132
6. Dawlish – 105
Team: A Beaney, C Hickey, N Root, A Hawkins, S Hunter, A Brown, S Donmez, W Pilsworth, S Reeves, G Pearce, G Pitts, M Easter, V Tainty, T Codling, N Kirby, A Eburne, L Jefferies, L Matthews, M Bilko, C Pitts, G Manning, J Janicki, N Westman, C Lofts, A Chantler, M Boniface, S Berry, S Roberts, M Sambrook, H Bennett, S Cholod
Meanwhile, Sx3 B put in a gutsy performance at Weston-super-Mare, finishing second behind a resilient Yeovil team.
The boys’ 11 year foursome of Jack Spooner, Elliott Willoughby, Daniel Watt and Jon Fouracre were unbeaten in both their 4X25m freestyle & medley relays as were Emily Weston, Charlotte Gardo, Lauren Elias and Lucy Stratton in the Girls’ 12 yrs age group. Freya Weston, Darcy James, Rhian Merritt and Chiara Pascarella also touched first in the Girls’ 10 year 4x25m medley.
Adam Coleman won the boys’ 10 year 50m breaststroke and Charlotte Gardo was victorious in the Girls’ 12 year 50m butterfly. Stratton (12 yrs, 50 back) and sisters Freya (10 yrs, 50m back) & Emily Weston (12 yrs, 50m frs) were also individual winners and there were impressive second place finishes for Holly Parsons, James, Sam Woolford, Watt and Andrew Butler.
Results:
1. Yeovil- 235 points
2. Sx3 B – 181
3. Weston-super-Mare – 174
4. Chard – 172
5. Poole – 145
6. West Dorset- 107
Team: B Wakfield, A Connaghan, T Howie, H Parsons, J Walters, R Gooch, C Harris, L Jackson, A Wakefield, H Brooker, F Weston, M Martin, R Merritt, C Pascarella, L Gardo, L Willis, W Bennett, L Brown, S Gunning, A Coleman, L Waite, R Hussey, L Jolliff, L Toner, B Crouch, D James, D Watt, E Willoughby, J Spooner, J Fouracre, L Stratton, L Elias, C Gardo, E Watson, J Goode, S Woolford, A Butler & E Pilsworth
The Southern Junior League Final is on the 21st of June.
Source: Sx3 Press Team
