Perfect Performances At Indoor Champs

Faversham Swimming Club held their annual Indoor Age Group Championships this month, with over forty five of the clubs swimmers participating.

The Faversham Club members treated the home crowd to some astounding performances throughout the championships. Races were swam over 50 and 100 metre distances, with many of the younger swimmers entering races for the first time.

The championship’s  hit feverish heights as the strenuous multi-stroke skins competition commenced. The six fastest swimmers from each gender are pitted against each other in the pool, each stroke race is picked blindly from a bag with the slowest swimmer in each race leaving the pool until two champions remain.

The girls event saw the gruelling butterfly stroke pulled out of the bag no less than three times. Fifteen year old Abbie Collins wowed the crowd with her battle to claim third place, which left a dual in the pool between thirteen year old Rebecca Crouch and thirteen year old Flora Westlake. Crouch and Westlake were side by side on the last length, but with a burst of speed it was young Flora who touched home and claimed first place.

The crowd were on their feet during the boys competition with three of Faversham’s finest swimmers battling to claim top podium position. Fourteen year old Marty Boorman took third place after a challenging butterfly race, which left fifteen year old elite swimmer Ben Collins in action against hot shot Tom Aylen. The final breaststroke race saw Ben pipped to the post by Tom in what turned out to be one of the clubs most sensational swims of the championships.

First place winners in the girls events were Eva McIntyre in the 9 years 50 metre butterfly, breaststroke, freestyle and individual medley. Tamzin Myburgh 9 years 50 metre backstroke, Nicola Crouch 10 years 50 metre butterfly and breaststroke, Emily Holt 10 years 50 metre backstroke, freestyle and individual medley. Lauren Scott 11 years 100 metre butterfly, Molly Stemp 11 years 100 metre backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle and individual medley. Keeley Wrench 12 years 100 metre butterfly, Georgia Collins 12 years 100 metre backstroke, freestyle and individual medley. Alice Searley 12 years 100 metre breaststroke, Molly McKenna 13 years 100 metre butterfly, Rebecca Crouch 13 years 100 metre backstroke, freestyle and equal 1st in the individual medley. Flora Westlake 13 years 100 metre breaststroke and equal 1st in the individual medley. Lydia Scott 14 years butterfly and backstroke, Erica Sellens 14 years 100 metre breaststroke and freestyle. Jasmine Locke 15 years 100 metre butterfly, Joanne Hawkins 15 years 100 metre backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle and individual medley. Jessica Stephens 16 years 100 metre butterfly and freestyle, Lily Jarvis-Keysell 16 years 100 metre backstroke and individual medley.

First place winners in the boys events were Richard Ellis in the 9 years 50 metre butterfly, backstroke and breaststroke, Thomas Goldsmith 9 years 50 metre freestyle, Jamie Spice 9 years individual medley. Harry McKenna 10 years 50 metre butterfly and backstroke, Joseph Russell 10 years breaststroke, freestyle and individual medley, Joe Wall 11 years 100 metre breaststroke, butterfly and individual medley, Richard Catton 11 years 100 metre freestyle and backstroke. Blaine Ramsden 12 years 100 metre backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle and individual medley. Marty Boorman 14 years 100 metre butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle, Ben Collins 15 years 100 metre butterfly, backstroke, freestyle and individual medley, Francis Nye 15 years 100 metre breaststroke. Tom Aylen mens 100 metre butterfly, backstroke, freestyle and individual medley.

A raffle took place during the championships with prizes being donated by Faversham Swimming Clubs sponsors Simplyswim and Faversham Tesco, together with the sale of refreshments, the club raised over £100.