Hat-trick of victories for Deepings’ star Isabella

Swimming - The Grantham Grand Prix

Nine-year-old Isabella Reynolds had a Grantham Grand Prix to remember as she took a hat-trick of victories.

Competing in the 9/10 years age group, she was one of four from Deepings Swimming Club to win races on the night, joining established county swimmers Holly Roffe, Grace Edwards and Maya Sangiorgio.

Isabella started round two of the four-series Grand Prix by swimming a massive 52-second personal best (PB) to win the 200m freestyle. She added further PBs and victories in the 50m butterfly and 50m backstroke, capping a perfect evening of racing.

The squad of 27 swimmers achieved an incredible 64 PBs over 81 races. Holly Roffe earned three of them in the 12yrs age group to be first the 50m butterfly, second in the 200m freestyle and third in the 50m backstroke.

Grace Edwards won the 50m backstroke and Maya Sangiorgio swam a new PB to take first place in the 200m freestyle, both in the 11yrs category. Grace also knocked 10 seconds off her 200m freestyle time to finish fourth.

Ten-year-old Anabelle Kirk swam a 20-second PB in the 50m backstroke, Freya Chiva (11yrs) achieved an 11-second PB in the 200m freestyle and Finlay Smith (11yrs) hit a six-second 50m freestyle PB. Ten-year-olds Cody Watson and Oliver Shepherd achieved, respectively, seven-second and six-second PBs in the 50m breaststroke, Kendra Greenwood-Covell (12yrs) took six seconds of her 50m backstroke best and Vincent Clare (11yrs) sliced four seconds off his 50m breaststroke.

Lynn Chapman, Deepings Swimming Club head coach, was full of praise for the team. “It was a brilliant weekend for all our young swimmers. They have been putting in some hard training and it’s paying off with a bumper crop of PBs and some excellent placings,” she said.

Squad: Girls- Isabella Reynolds, Eleanor Twinley, Phoebe Connery, Maddie Taylor, Sasha Johnson, Annabelle Kirk, Grace Edwards, Maya Sangiorgio, Freya Chiva, Isobel Vause, Jessica Godding, Isabell Money, Holly Roffe, Orla Connery, Kendra Greenwood-Covell. Boys - James Cash, William Burdock, Cody Watson, Oliver Shepherd, Joe Black, Joshi Harriss, Lewis Tarver, Jacob Sandom, Antony Hall, Vincent Clare, Finlay Smith, Jack Bell.

Young swimmers knock seconds off personal best times in grand prix

Deepings Swimming Club head coach Lynn Chapman was full of praise for the team