Medal joy for swim club
LOUGHBOROUGH Town Swimming Club took part in the final event of the Leicestershire and Rutland County Swimming Championships 2022 at Braunstone and returned with a hatful of medals.
Another weekend of superb racing saw the club being awarded the Top Club Award for the boys and the final races of the Championship brought further success for the 15-year-old boys’ age group.
In the 50m breaststroke, all three medals were won by LTSC with James Lake finishing first, Alfie Molloy took silver and Thomas Macmanard, third. Also in the same final were Finn Reed (5th) and Harrison Bywater (6th). James and Alfie had already taken gold and silver earlier on in the day in the 100m breaststroke with Finn in fourth and Harrison fifth.
In the 200m Individual Medley James again took the Junior Championship and in the 50m backstroke final, he finished in second place with Thomas in third. Joshua Dowdall was sixth in the same final and Jack Goldfinch was fifth in the 16 years and over age group.
Willem Muddimer had two superb races winning silver in the 16 years and over 100m breaststroke and bronze in the 50m. He also placed fourth in the 200m Individual Medley. Willem was also awarded the Chris White Trophy for the fastest aggregate 4 x 100m on all four strokes plus the 200m Individual Medley over the whole of the Championship. Jasper Ley-Sneyd finished in sixth place in the 100m breaststroke final and was also 6th in the 200m Individual Medley. Charles Hepworth placed 6th in the 50m breaststroke. Seth Gardner (11) won gold in the 200m Individual Medley and silver in the 100m breaststroke and 50m backstroke. Seth also won the Performance Award for his age group which is based on points accrued throughout the Championship across a range of strokes and distances. Darell Yeoh (13) won two bronze medals in the 50m and 100m breaststroke and placed seventh in the 50m backstroke.
In his first ever County Championships Aryan Ankolekar (14 years) took bronze in the 50m with Finlay Gibson winning gold in the 50m and 100m breaststroke, 200m Individual Medley and 50m backstroke in the same age group. Fitz Fantham also placed fifth in the 50m backstroke.
A fantastic swim in the 200m Individual Medley saw Abbie Ruddle take gold and she also finished second in the 100m butterfly and 100m Individual Medley. Abbie also won the Chris White Trophy for the girls and the Frank & Edna Warner Trophy for the fastest aggregate 4 x 50m events.
Also swimming well in the 100m butterfly were Elizabeth Palfrey (4th) and Tilly Herries (5th) in the 14 years age group and Francesca Palfrey, 6th in the 16 years and over. Tilly was also 6th in the 200m Individual Medley, 200m freestyle and 200m breaststroke. In the 400m freestyle, Elizabeth finished in second place with Francesca fifth and Eleanor Taylor sixth. Elizabeth was also third in the 200m freestyle and Eleanor was 8th in the 100m Individual Medley. Catherine Yates placed fifth in the 12 years 100m IM and Niamh Muddimer was seventh (15 years).
In the longer distance events, which took place on Friday, James Lake took gold in the 800m freestyle with Matthew Longman fourth and Joshua Dowdall, fifth (all 15 years age group). Sean McCann took gold in the 16 years and over age group. Elizabeth Palfrey was second in the 1500m freestyle (14 yrs), and Francesca Palfrey was fourth in the 16 years and over category.
Millie Goldfinch, Lois Buxton, Eva Hopper, Isabella Cooper, Erin Harvey, Jess Smith, Lucy Snaith, Felix Jarvis, Jacob Blount, Ellis Bancroft, George Larke, Oli Pacholec, Jack Ruddle, Henry Scully-Proud and Leo Moechel all represented LTSC during the weekend.
Also attending the Championship on Sunday was William Bell. He was awarded the Trevor Henson Trophy which is an award given to a swimmer that has been selected to represent their Country. Will now trains at Loughborough University and is working towards the Commonwealth Trials later this year.