Yuletide Open: Weymouth Swimming Club stars take 19 golds

Some 77.2 per cent of Weymouth’s swimmers achieved personal bests (PB), while their 22 age-group stars amassed 79 Dorset County qualifying times (DC QT).

These marks are required to qualify for the 2023 Dorset Championships.

With the majority of Dorset clubs present at the Yuletide, Weymouth achieved a total of 19 gold, 16 silver and 15 bronze medals.

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Weymouth’s talented nine-year-olds Iris Otton, Evelyn Legg and Luca Sloan stormed into top finalist positions at their very first open meeting and the start of a very promising swimming future.

Ten-year-olds Evelyn Legg and Brooke Kirlew demonstrated that all their hard work was starting to shine through with top finalist positions.

Ellen England, Heidi Graham, Heather Sayers, Dylan Hanger, Frank Otton and Frank Turner continue to exemplify the club’s emerging talent and show the depth and range in competitive events with excellent displays in the 11-year-old category.

Janina Cobban and Max Cartwright gave top swims to maximise their personal best times in the 12-year-old class.

Thirteen-year-olds Geoffrey Goodrick, Nicolas Gburek and Sam Graham amassed personal bests in hard-fought top-ten positions.

Thea Denham, 14, produced an astounding performance swim in the 400m freestyle for bronze medal position.

Sophie Marsh, Oliver Cobban and Lawrence Goodrick, all 15, set the mark higher with newly-learnt top-quality racing starts to match top positions and all-time bests. 

Josh Pepper, 16, produced top medal positions in the sprint events, while Caitlin English, 18, took resounding gold-medal places in the sprint events in which she dominated the rest of the field.

Weymouth’s head coach, Nicky Brunell, was extremely pleased with the way her 22 young swimmers faced up to the challenges set them over the two days of competition reflecting on the growing talent within the club.

Weymouth’s team manager, Trish Goodrick, said: “We are a competitive swimming club that offers every opportunity to our swimmers to progress in their chosen sport within a friendly, safe and supportive club environment that is backed by an increasing number of qualified Swim England teachers and coaches.”

RESULTS

Best results by individuals, girls nine years ­– Evelyn Legg: 1st in 100m breaststroke (PB and DC QT); Iris Otton: 1st in 50m butterfly; 100m individual medley; 200m backstroke; 100m freestyle; 50m backstroke, 50m freestyle (PB and DC QT in all).

Girls ten years – Evelyn Legg: 3rd in 100m backstroke (PB and DC QT); Brooke Kirlew: 2nd in 200m freestyle

Girls 11 years – Ellen England: 4th in 50m breaststroke (PB and DC QT); Heidi Graham: 2nd in 50m freestyle (PB and DC QT); Heather Sayers: 3rd in 50m butterfly; 200m backstroke and 100m butterfly (PB and DC QT in all).

Girls 12 years – Janina Cobban: 5th in 200m individual medley and 100m breaststroke (PB in both).

Girls 14 years – Thea Denham: 3rd in 400m freestyle (PB).

Girls 15 years – Sophie Marsh: 1st in 100m backstroke (PB and DC QT).

Girls 18 years – Caitlin English: 1st in 100m individual medley; 50m breaststroke, 50m backstroke and 50m freestyle (DC QT in all).

Boys nine years – Luca Sloan: 1st in 100m backstroke (PB and DC QT); 200m freestyle (PB); 200m backstroke (PB); 50m freestyle (PB and DC QT).

Boys 11 years – Dylan Hanger: 2nd in 200m freestyle; 200m backstroke (PB and DC QT in both); Frank Otton: 1st in 200m freestyle (PB and DC QT); Frank Turner: 5th in 200m breaststroke; 200m individual medley (PB and DC QT).

Boys 12 years – Max Cartwright: 8th in 100m butterfly.

Boys 13 years – Sam Graham: 1st in 100m freestyle; 50m freestyle (PB and DC QT in both); Nicolas Gburek: 5th in 50m freestyle (PB); Geoffrey Goodrick: 5th in 100m individual medley (PB).

Boys 15 years – Oliver Cobban: 3rd in 400m freestyle (PB); Lawrence Goodrick: 4th in 50m breaststroke (DC QT).

Boys 16 years – Josh Pepper: 3rd in 50m butterfly; 100m freestyle (DC QT).