Kristina claims 10 out of 11 regional gold medals

SIX young Guernsey Swimming Club members have qualified for the south-east regional championships. Swum over two weekends at the K2 Centre in Crawley, it was the first time four of them had competed at this level.

Ellie Ogier and Nicole and James Hewlett also had the extra pressure of racing in a 50-metre pool for the first time.

Kristina Neves dominated the girls 10-year-old age group and won gold in all but one of 11 events.

She was in a class of her own and was very rarely challenged.

Six of her swims were inside the national qualifying standard, but she will miss out as she will be too young to compete at the nationals in August.

Unsurprisingly, her medal tally saw her win the top award for such girls.

Luke Winberg had mixed fortunes.

During the first weekend, the talented 11-year-old won a bronze in both the 400 individual medley and the 100 butterfly.

However, a disappointing swim in the 400 metres freestyle saw him lie in eighth position overall going into the second weekend.

A better performance in the 200 freestyle saw Winberg move up to sixth and he saved his best to last, recording a new personal best of 2-45.48 in the 200 butterfly.

That time won him the silver medal, was a national qualifying time and lifted him up to third overall in his age group.

Matt Butt was swimming in his fourth and last regional age group championships and like Winberg had mixed fortunes.

His stronger events were the 100 breaststroke and butterfly where he finished second and third respectively with national times.

A fifth place in the 400 individual medley along with a sixth in the 200 IM gained him valuable points to help him finish fifth overall in the 14 age group.

James Hewlett had an excellent first time appearance at this level and finished a very respectable 21st overall in the 12- years category.

Nicole Hewlett, 11, was not to be outswum by her older brother and showed her strength in the breaststroke events and finished 28th overall.

Ogier finished 45th overall in the girls' 11 years category.