The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
South Lincs Competitive Swimming Club enjoyed a weekend to remember as they won 17 medals at the Lincoln Vulcans Open Meet.
Serving as a prequel to the ASA East Midlands Regional Championships (held during May), seven of South Lincs’ 17 qualifying swimmers headed to the Ponds Forge International Pool in Sheffield for meet.
Some 38 events were contested by these swimmers over the weekend of April 16 and 17 – with a medal haul of seven golds, six silvers and four bronze.
Day one saw Luke Elliott (age 17) pick up gold in the 50m butterfly (27.32secs), 50m backstroke (28.33secs) and 100m backstroke (1.00.93mins), plus silvers in the 400m freestyle (4.15.84mins) and 200m IM (2.15.79mins).
Team-mate Calvin Wilson (17) landed silver in the 50m backstroke (29.75secs), while Alice Gowing (17) won gold in the 200m backstroke (2.41.03mins) and Ellisha Cookson (12) collected a bronze in the 100m butterfly (1.20.99mins).
Elliott was on form again on day two as he struck gold again with wins in the 200m backstroke (2.13.07mins) and 200m butterfly (2.11.51mins).
He added two silvers after second places in the 400m IM (4.48.20mins) and 100m butterfly (1.00.07mins).
Further medals followed for South Lincs, with Wilson bagging bronze in the 200m backstroke (2.19.23mins) and Cookson roaring to gold in the 200m IM (3.00.92mins) and silver fin the 50m butterfly (36.43mins).
Cheryl Wilson was also in action on day two – and she landed bronze in the 100m backstroke (1.10.17mins) and 50m backstroke (32.51mins).
Dusty Saines completed a fine few days for South Lincs with a solid fourth place in the 100m backstroke (1.20.61mins).
Head coach Callum Lawson said: “This was a nice, relaxed weekend in preparation for the weeks ahead with some personal bests and seasonal bests.
“These swimmers have a benchmark now, and know what they need to do in training to ‘up their game’ for Midland Championships. I’m looking forward to some good results.”
- Two swimmers from South Lincs swam in the COPS Regional Age Group Qualifier Meet in Peterborough from April 22-24.
Mollie Briggs (11) and Hannah Willis (10) competed in various events which took place over three days.
Both girls performed well, Briggs obtaining personal bests (PB) in the 50m backstroke (41.37secs) and 200m freestyle (2.37.73hrs).
Willis clocked PBs in the 50m, 100m, 200m backstroke and the 100m freestyle.
Willis also achieved two 11/12 year old Midlands Qualifying Times (MQT).
They came in the 100m backstroke (1.16.52mins) and 200m backstroke (2.43.71mins).
The SLCSC 100m backstroke club record for 10-year-old girls of 1.17.83mins, which has stood since 2007, was also smashed by Willis.
- South Lincs recently made the trip across the county to Gainsborough to compete in round one of the Senior Lincs League.
The travelling team was quite small due to swimmers being ill and having other commitments – but every member present dug deep and represented the club with pride.
South Lincs found themselves in some tight battles for first place throughout the night and quite often came out on the wrong side, having to be content with second place.
After 48 events SLCSC finished in fourth place behind Lincoln Pentaqua, Cleethorpes and Grantham – but did beat hosts Gainsborough.
Head coach Lawson said: “The swimmers worked for the team and gave it their best.
“We’ve had a fair number of PBs and we can’t ask for more than that from the swimmers.”
- South Lincs remain in the hunt for awards at the Grantham Grand Prix series after a strong showing at round three.
In the girls’ 50m freestyle, Molly Paxton (11), Esther Skeels (12), Hannah Willis (10) and Emma Croker (10) all gained PB times – Willis and Croker placing first and third respectively in their age group.
In the girls’ 12-years and under 50m breaststroke and 10/12 years 200 IM delivered some more PBs from Paxton, Croker (10) and Willis.
The boys’ 50m butterfly and 50m backstroke in the age 12 and under section saw Edward Skells (12) produce some consistent times in both of his swims.
But he saved the best for last as he delivered an eight-second PB in his last race, the 200m freestyle.
The squad will return to Grantham in May to compete in the fourth and final round of the Grand Prix, hoping to gain more points and possibly some awards.
