Neves beats seven-year record in GSC's 200m IM event

THE first of the Guernsey Swimming Club's 200m Championships resulted in one new record. In the 11-and-under girls, Kristina Neves beat the individual medley club best previously set in 1999 by Elizabeth Falla. Neves's new record of 2-44.95 was 15 seconds inside the previous mark.

All seven competitors in this age group set new personal bests for this event.

Neves was a clear winner in an event in which she has another year to swim, while Nicole Hewlett took silver and Alex Butt the bronze.

In the boys 11 and under Luke Winberg won gold with Aaron Mahieu taking silver and Pierce Gregory the bronze.

Mahieu and Gregory were equal after the fly and backstroke legs of the event but it was over the breaststroke section that Mahieu asserted his mark and took a lead that Gregory was unable to make up over the last freestyle leg.

Less than five seconds separated the medal winners in the 12-13 girls, with Elisha Benstead taking the gold. Amelia Ingrouille won the silver less than two seconds behind Benstead with Ella Snell taking the bronze.

In the 12-13 boys, a 19sec. personal best saw a very strong James Hewlett take the gold by just over two seconds from Matthew Bourgaize.

Hewlett showed his strength in the first half of the race, gaining an advantage over the butterfly and backstroke legs of the medley swim.

Daniel Airley won the bronze in this age group but the most improved swimmer was Alan Chapman who recorded a new personal best a whole 21sec. faster that he had previously swum.

Heather Chapman won the 14-15 girls age group in a new personal best time. Matt Butt won the equivalent boys' event with Stewart Hume taking silver and Alex Ford the bronze.

In the 16 and over girls Christine Hume and Jo Laine were very close turning after the backstroke leg of the event.

But it was the breaststroke superiority of Hume that gained her a six sec. lead going into the final 50 metres freestyle. Hume's time of 2-33.24 won her the gold with Laine the silver and Ali Cann claiming the bronze.

In the boys 16 and over it was the opposite story. A very weak breaststroke 50m swim by Ryan Dawe denied him the silver medal.

Clear winner was Ben Lowndes. However the main race was between Dawe and Tom Hamon.

Dawe had a two-second advantage after the butterfly and backstroke legs only to see Hamon draw level after the breaststroke leg. Hamon then held on to take silver with Dawes the bronze.