Personal bests by the hundreds for Guernsey swimmers

THE huge potential of Sarnian swimming was emphasised at the 14th up-and-comers sprint meet staged by Tigers Club of Jersey. This is an encouragement event aimed at those swimmers who have not yet reached medal standard at Channel Island level. Consideration times are also set with 'speeding tickets' being issued to those swimmers recording times three seconds faster than the entry times set.

The Guernsey Swimming Club sent 32 youngsters to compete while the Beau Sejour Barracudas travelled with a 30-strong team as all four CI clubs were well represented.

The GSC members achieved an outstanding 101 personal best times out of 115 swims.

Nine-year-old Nicola Hewlett showed her potential with two first and two second placings, as did Marco Petralia and William Kaine in the same age group.

Meanwhile, 10-year-old Brodie Bayes, Chloe Le Tissier, Luke Bourgaize, Harry Andrews and Alex Penney responded in fine style to the competition and Brendon Ferbrache demonstrated his continuing improvement in the 11-year-old category.

The Barracudas also excelled, returning with no fewer than six gold, eight silver and 11 bronze placings.

Nine-year-old Katherine Jensen topped the podium on two occasions, winning both the 25m freestyle and 25m backstroke in excellent times. As she had previously received medals earlier in the year in her major events of breaststroke and butterfly, she was exempt from entering these, her favourite events.

In the same age group, Miles Munro won the 25m butterfly as well as placing second in the 25m backstroke and breaststroke, both in personal best times.

Looking good for the future certainly is Charles Holbrook Sanderson, aged 11, who won the backstroke in a personal best time and also placed second in the 50m freestyle taking more than 1.5 seconds off his previous best.

Ben Inderwick took the honours in the 50m breaststroke to finish just two tenths ahead of teammate Michael Higgs. He also placed third in the 50m butterfly.

A determined swim by 12-year-old Martha Le Poidevin saw her place first in the 50m butterfly. With good technique and an accurate start and turn, she touched in a creditable 44.36, also placing third in the 50m freestyle.

Other Barracuda members to place in the top three included Alicia Munro with two seconds and Georgia Perry, who claimed a second and a third.

Shannon Murphy took second in the 50m butterfly while third places went to Alice Dewsnip and Sophie Hocart who each took two, Eleanor Matthews, Anna Miller, Jack Miller and Matthew Judge.