European bronze for Spinley and plenty of Dutch delight

Deepings

It’s been a jubilant July so far for Deeping Swimming Club in meetings abroad.

Butterfly star Isabel Spinley won a bronze medal representing Great Britain at the European Junior Championships in Israel while seven members of the 21-strong squad that swam in the Netherlands Invitational open meet made the podium.

And that magnificent seven captured 22 medals between them - nine of them gold - competing against teams from as far afield as Indonesia, South Africa and America at the Pieter van den Hoogenband Swimstadion in Eindhoven.

Fourteen-year-old Louis Metselaar led the way with four golds.

The club’s head coach Lynn Chapman said: “It was a very successful weekend of swimming and team building in Holland with great support from parents and all our swimmers performing well. Even the swimmers who did not win medals worked hard in their races and should be proud of their achievements.”

Spinley’s success came on her international debut in Israel.

The 16 year-old talent finished an impressive eighth in the 100m butterfly final, swimming a new personal best and club record time in the semi-final. She set another club record in the heats of the 50m butterfly, and capped a fine championships by being selected for the 4x100 mixed medley relay team which won bronze.

Chapman said: “Isabel is one of the hardest working swimmers at the club and all that hard work is really paying off as she continues to make great progress.”

Eindhoven 2017 medal winners

Louis Metselaar: 200m Free - Gold; 50m Breast Gold; 100m Breast- Gold; 200m Breast - Gold. Kallum Penman: 100m Fly - Bronze.

Oliver Harrison: 50m Breast - Silver; 100m Breast - Silver; 100 IM - Silver.

Holly Leggott: 50m Free - Silver; 100m Free Silver; 50m Back - Silver; 100m Back - Bronze. Lexi Cooper: 100m Free - Gold; 100m Breast Gold; 200 IM - Gold; 200m Breast - Silver.

Jessie Spooner: 100m Back - Gold; 50m Fly Gold; 100m Fly - Silver; 50m Back - Bronze.

Amy Tappern: 200m Free - Bronze; 100m Back - Bronze. Also in the Deepings squad were: Ben Briggs, George Shaw, Bethany Eagle-Brown, Helena Waters, Lottie Bussey, Ethan Malcolm, Lara Treharne, Lilly Tappern, Jessica O’Herlihy, Harry Cardell, Emma Wilde, Anita Wong, Alice Dovey and Molly Briers Isabel Spinley shows off her European Junior Swimming Championships bronze medal for the 4 x 100 mixed medley relay with Deepings SC head coach Lynn Chapman.