Faversham SC

TEAM SPIRIT BRINGS OUT THE BEST IN FAVERSHAM, SAYS COACH HOLT

Faversham Swimming Club head coach Paul Holt praised members for their performance at the Simon Watson Memorial Gala at Sittingbourne on Saturday night.

He said: “I was impressed with the togetherness of the team, with great camaraderie at all levels. There were far too many excellent individual performances to single anyone out, although there is always still room for improvement.”

Gold medallists included Sophie Molton in the 13yrs 50m freestyle in a personal best time of 30.61, Neve Smith (10yrs 50m breaststroke PB 47.35 and 50m backstroke), Nathan Williams (Open 50m fly), Bella Holt (11yrs 50m freestyle PB 33.66 and 50m breaststroke), Luca Beal (9yrs 50m breaststroke and 50m freestyle PB 44.53), Molly Fletcher-hebden (13yrs 50m fly).

Holt’s swim in her 50m freestyle race gained her a club record.

Her sister Emily also swam herself into the Faversham record books in both her 100m freestyle (1.03.92 PB/CR) and the 50m freestyle (30.04 PB/CR).

Records were also broken by Williams in his 100m freestyle (1.00.55 PB/CR) and William Roe in the 9yrs 50m backstroke (57.23 PB/CR). Super silver medals were claimed by: Emily Holt (Open 100m free and 15yrs 50m freestyle), Mia Kirk (15yrs 50m fly 34.43 PB and Open 50m fly 34.30 PB), FletcherHebden (13 yrs. 50m breaststroke), Scott Pearce (11yrs 50m backstroke 41.93 PB and 50m fly), Nina Connell (10 yrs 50m freestyle 37.46 PB), Molly Fordyce (9 yrs 25m Fly 20.77 PB), Amy Coupe (15 yrs 50m backstroke), Beal (10 yrs 50m breaststroke 53.15 PB), Keira Drury (9yrs. 50m backstroke 52.53 PB), Emily H (15yrs 50m breaststroke and 50m freestyle), Sophie Molton (13yrs 50m backstroke) and the breaststroke relay squadron (Molly Fordyce, Smith, Bella, Holt, Fletcher-hebden, Kirk, Emily Ing, Roe, Beal, Ethan Sharman, Harrison Scott, Max Fordyce and Williams).

The freestyle relay squadron also snatched second place (Drury, Connell, Jenna Appleton, Molton, Coupe, Emily Holt, Roe, Beal, Pearce, Scott, Max Fordyce and Williams). Bronzes were won by: Williams (Open 100m free), Max Fordyce (15yrs 50m fly and 13 yrs 50m fly), Roe (9yrs. 25m fly 29.15 PB and 50m backstroke), Molly Fordyce (9yrs 50m breaststroke 51.69 PB), Amy C (Open 100m backstroke), Scott (15 yrs 50m freestyle 30.76 PB) and Sharman (11yrs 50m breaststroke 50.66 PB).

Impressive swims by Louis Connell and Cameron Bullard also gained them personal best times.

The Tesco Gala Star was jointly awarded to William Roe and Luca Beal on their first gala.

The Tesco Gala Shield was awarded to Sophie Molton for her outstanding swims in all her races.

Faversham narrowly missed out on second place by one point to Beachfield.

Other clubs competing included the hosts Sittingbourne and Milton along with Black Lion and Sheerness.

The swimmers continue to train hard in readiness for the East Invicta Championships at Canterbury, Kingsmead, over the following two weekends. Edwards 13, Rose Douglas-sutton 13, Phoebe Stinton 10, Alyssa Kelly 10, Ella Kimble 12, Nathan Williams 14 and Tilly Compton 14.

It was the first competitive gala for Thea Godden 10, who was awarded a runners-up medal for 50m butterfly.

Emmett Holdsworth also broke a long-standing club record in the 11/12 200m breakstroke category. His time was 2.54.67, almost four seconds faster than the previous record. Other competitors were: Fletcher Davy, Lewis Edwards, Emily Rice, Keira Twyman, James Page, Isabel Atkins, Austin Moyes, Oli Kimble, Ruby Hill, Freddie Evans, Ethan Sales, Tamzin Mullins, Lacey Compton, Joseph Hicks, Niamh Maxwell, May Wolffe, Felicity Cope, Katie Page, Chet Holdsworth, Kayla Howard-tripp, Ellie Williamson, Hermione Carmen and Freddie Wright.

The next competition for the club is the East Invicta Championships Gala taking place at Kingsmead Pool, Canterbury on October 1 and 7-8.