Guernsey Swimming Club returned to Winchester at the weekend to compete at the Hampshire County Championships. The senior weekend is split into three age groups 15yr, 16yr and 17yr over. Swimming in two sessions a day with heats and then finals.
The boys also enjoyed the opportunity to swim the men’s open 4×100 medley and 4 x 100 freestyle relays. Sam, Luke plus Thomas, and Josh who both had to swim up the age groups did extremely well and was very exciting to watch. In the 4 x 100 medley relay they placed 5th out of 11 teams with a finishing time of 4.24.25. Day 2 was the 4 x 100 freestyle and in another exciting race did themselves proud placing 6th overall but unfortunately due to the rush and eagerness of the swimmers an early takeover meant the team was disqualified. The boys still had smiles on their faces as they discussed their split times.
Joshua Dunning – 16 Years age group
First up for Josh was 100m freestyle placing 3rd in his heat and making his first final of the weekend in 57.91. After a close race placed 5th in the final in 58.53. Next swim was 50m breaststroke in a new LC pb making finals in 34.02. Swimming the final, he touched in 4th with 34.04. In a new LC pb 27.12 Josh swam the 50m freestyle heats placing 5th in his age group. In the final he swam 27.36 placing 6th. Up next was the 200IM and had a great swim to claw back from behind to finish 5th in his heat 2.28.69 to gain the bronze medal in the 16yr age group. First swim on the Sunday was 100m breaststroke placing 2nd in the heat and sprinting to the finish in 1.17.20. Making the final in this event he went even quicker in the final to finish with the bronze medal in 1.15.87 in a new LC pb. Last race from Josh was worth waiting for in the 200 Breaststroke. With a great start and dominating the race to the finish taking the silver medal in a new LC pb of 2.49.14.
Samuel Lowe – 17 and over open Age group
100m freestyle was Samuel’s first swim placing 5th in the heats and making the finals. Racing the final gained him a new LC pb in 55.45 in a great race. Next up was 400Im swimming a strong race placing 2nd in his age group 17 and over with a silver medal in 4.52.37. Samuel had
a great battle in his next event 200 IM with a Jersey swimmer and finished first to take gold in 2.15.47. Not long after he was up again in the 200 back in another great battle to the finish in 2.16.45 to take the silver medal. Up next was 100m Fly touching in 2nd in a time of 1.02.98 making finals. Swimming the final, he just placed outside the Medals in fourth but in a new LC pb time of 1.00.73. The distance specialist placed 2nd in the heat and achieved a silver medal in the 400m freestyle in a time of 4.19.40
Laura Le Cras – 17 years and over, open age group
Having not completed in 100 Breaststroke for a while, Laura made the finals in 3rd place 1.18.04. In the final she picked up the pace to finish 2nd in a new lifetime best of 1.16.69. Laura placed 2nd in the 50fly heats and made the finals in the 17yr and over. Placing 3rd in the final with a time of 28.82 just off her pb. Le Cras favourite event 50m Breaststroke didn’t disappoint displaying her dominance finishing 1st in heats with 33.75. In the final started off strong and finished 1st and county champion. Laura started the 50m Freestyle first leaving the blocks first to lead her heat to the finish in 27.86 making the final in 3rd place. With another great start and keeping her head down to finish it wasn’t untill the results came up on the board to put her 3rd in the 17yr over group in a respectable time of 27.56 in a very tight finish.
Thomas Stewart – 15 Years age group
Thomas started the weekend with 50m breaststroke placing 6th in his heat with 37.69 and marking a reserve finalist in his age group. A good effort and a warmup for his favourite event 200m Fly. He had only raced this a couple of months ago and took 16 seconds off this time finishing with a bronze medal in 2.43.98. 50m freestyle was another great swim placing 2nd in the heats 27.74 and making finals but in joint 8th, Another swimmer dropped out meaning Thomas was able to race finishing in 8th. The 200 IM for Thomas was a great swim placing 2nd in the heats after a great comeback finished in a new LC pb of 2.34.57. Day 2 for Thomas started with 100 breaststroke finishing in a close race with 1.22.60 making the final. In that final race for 100 breaststroke, he took another 2 seconds off placing 5th in a new LC pb of 1.20.80. In a tight 50 Fly race Thomas finished 4th in the heats , swimming 31.11 and was 1st reserve finalist.
Luke Le Cras – 17 years and over, open age group
First event for Luke was the 50m breaststroke. Leaving the blocks first in his heat placing 3rd in the race making it to the finals in the open age group in 8th place with a new LC pb of 31.92. In the final Luke managed to gain a place to finish 7th in a time of 32.39. Day 2 in the 100m breaststroke Luke’s reactions were the quickest and had a great 50m to finish 4th in his heat with 1.13.64 and making the final. The final was a close race and finished 7th in a time of 1.13.38. Not feeling particularly well Luke swam the 200 breaststroke as a warmup for the exciting relays.
Hannah Kennedy – 15 years age group
Hannah started her weekend with the 50m backstroke coming 2nd in the heats with a great race to the finish in a new LC pb of 34.32 making a reserve finalist. Day 2 and first up was 100m backstroke for Hannah that with a great start and finishing strong placed her 5th in her heat with another LC pb in 1.15.41. Not long out of the water her next swim was the 400 IM. Swimming through the fly and back started to claw back some places and turning first in the Breaststroke leg didn’t let go of that lead to finish a great race in first in her heat in 5.45.76 gaining a well deserved silver medal in the 15yr group. Swimming a great 200m backstroke Hannah gave it everything and placed 3rd in the heats but with others still to race from her group rewarded her with another silver medal in 2.35.22 and a new LC pb.
