Gt Yarmouth Swimming ClubON Saturday, Great Yarmouth Swimming Club sent a team of young swimmers to a gala at Diss, competing against teams from Diss, Dereham, Wisbech and Norwich Little Fish.

Gt Yarmouth Swimming Club

ON Saturday, Great Yarmouth Swimming Club sent a team of young swimmers to a gala at Diss, competing against teams from Diss, Dereham, Wisbech and Norwich Little Fish.

For some swimmers this was their first competitive gala away from home, but they rose to the occasion and finished overall winners, beating nearest rivals Dereham by five points.

With 32 individual races, they achieved a tally of 25 personal best times. At the interval, the club stood in third place with everything to swim for in the second half, and capped off the evening with a win in the cannon relay which they led from start to finish.

In the nine years age group, in his first gala for the club, Joshua Smith showed his determination by winning the freestyle. Aaron Hudson led from start to finish in the butterfly and breaststroke, both of which he considers to be his weakest events. Joshua Ford was touched into second place in an exciting finish in the backstroke.

Lily Johnson was also unlucky not to win the girls' backstroke, finishing second by a fingertip. Natasha Mansfield-Holly suffered from a slow start in the freestyle, but pushed herself into third place. Clarissa Burwood battled a foot injury to take a fine second place in the breaststroke and also finished fourth in her first butterfly swim for the club.

The ever-improving Jack Collins finished in fourth place in butterfly, but overturned this result by winning the freestyle in the 10 year age group. With his determination Callum Stannard, left all his rivals behind, easily winning the breaststroke. Joshua Clifton also achieved a fourth place in the backstroke.

For the girls, Emily Acland dominated the breaststroke and won with ease. Amelia Driver came third in her backstroke and second in her freestyle. Also in her first competitive away gala for the club, Kioni Broomfield was in the closest race of the night finishing fifth in the butterfly.

The 11 year age group began with a second place for Jack Colby in the butterfly. With their introduction to competitive swimming Jamie King (breaststroke) and Rory Cushing (freestyle) had fantastic races, both taking over 10 seconds off their previous best recorded times and taking second places. This was also achieved by Oliver Tedstone in the backstroke.

Danielle Page had a another busy night and proved her worth again by taking the freestyle event, leading from the front. Ellie Newman came out of her sick bed to come a very good second in the backstroke. Suffering from a leg injury, Bethany Burwood, won her breaststroke event after earlier finishing fourth in the butterfly.

Swimming up an age group, Taylor Hudson won the backstroke in the 12 years easily. Danielle Page also had to swim up an age group and was touched into second place in the butterfly. Bethany Roberts came a good third in breaststroke, and Lauren Cotton took six seconds off her personal best, finishing in fourth place in the freestyle.

George Yusuff had to swim the breaststroke race with his goggles around his mouth after a bad start, but held on to first place, this after a second place in the butterfly. William Beck had two good third places in the backstroke and freestyle.

Final scores: Great Yarmouth 139, Dereham 135, Wisbech 127, Diss 85, Little Fish Norwich 57.

To join the Great Yarmouth Swimming Club or for further details please call Nigel on 01493 377906.