Dolphins Shine at Biggleswade and Dunstable
Flitwick Dolphins Swimming Club made a brilliant start to this year’s ASA County Championships on Saturday 23 February when ten swimmers performed superbly in the 1500m distance event held in Biggleswade.
Competing the Counties 1500m for the first time, rising star Isabelle Martin (11) took gold by over 1 minute and broke the club record. Debutants Sofia Aatkar (13) and Georgina Halford (12) also did well, Georgina taking the silver medal. All three girls set personal best times. Rhianydd Jones (15) narrowly missed out on a medal but also broke her personal best time and qualified for this year’s ASA East Region Championships.
Tom Winder (13) also took Counties 1500m gold at the first attempt. Carl Halford (15) took silver, broke the club record and qualified for the ASA East Region Champs. Colin Weighell (12) and Toby Willson (14) just missed out on medals, finishing fifth and fourth respectively. Dolphins look forward to building on this success over the remaining championships sessions in March.
Not to be out-done by their long-distance colleagues in Biggleswade, Flitwick Dolphins Chilterns League squad also tasted success the same evening at their Round Two gala hosted by Houghton Regis SC at Dunstable. Dolphins held the lead for much of the gala but slipped into second place over the final events. The entire squad performed consistently at or beyond their previous best, setting 14 new individual best times during the evening and winning 14 events plus one “speeding ticket”.
Ben Trott (10) achieved his first individual win for the Club in the 50m freestyle. Harry Willson (11) and Victoria Abbott (11) triumphed in the 50m backstroke and Georgia Barclay and George Borthwick both won their 50m butterfly. Breaststroke victories went to Iona Chamberlain-Clark (9) and brother Aran (13) while elder brother Loren (16) won 100m backstroke. Lauren Murphy (14) and Oliver Winder (8) won their freestyle events, and Lauren Tilbury triumphed in her 50m breaststroke. Relay team victories were scored by 12+U girls (medley), 12+U boys (freestyle) and men (freestyle).
Dolphins coach Becky Gilbertson was delighted by the high standards achieved throughout the squad, and by the commitment shown by Gemma Trott and Ella Marlow-Gilks who rushed back from Cadbury’s World to ensure their relay team could take part. The squad is looking forward to another rousing performance in the final round on 19 April.
To find out more about Flitwick Dolphins or to arrange a trial, particularly boys aged 8 or 9 who would like to join our relay team, please phone Ann Wren on 01525 872107 after 7pm.
Beds ASA County Championships Results
26 February 2008