SWIMMING: Frank the star for South Lincs

Thirty South Lincs swimmers attended the Northampton Summer Festival over the weekend at Corby International Pool.

For many of the club’s junior swimmers this was a first opportunity to swim long course in a 50m swimming pool.

They rose to the occasion and set numerous personal best times, county qualifying times and picked up a total of 51 medals between them.

Ten-year-old Frank Lamb put in an exceptional performance throughout the meet, participating in 14 events over the two days, winning an outstanding 10 gold medals, two silver and one bronze.

Frank was named the top 10-year-old boy of the festival. In the process he recorded many PBs: 50m butterfly 38.24 seconds, 100m butterfly 1.25.70, 200m butterfly 3.21.55, 200m individual medley 3.02.92, 400m freestyle 5.50.75.

Daisy Rummery also had an exceptional weekend in the girls’ 15 years age group, collecting five gold medals and two silvers.

Daisy too set a number of PBs: 200m backstroke 2.30.99, 100m freestyle 1.02.82, 200m freestyle 2.14.61 and 400m freestyle 4.42.13.

Luke Blanchard showed a return to form to pick up two gold and three silver medals. He achieved five PBs: 100m butterfly 1.03.15, 50m butterfly 28.71, 50m breaststroke 33.88 and 200m breaststroke 2.40.74 and 200m individual medley 2.22.09.

Beatrice Finch produced one of the highlights of the weekend in the 400m individual medley. Leading from the start she was never challenged in her heat to touch the wall in first place by an exceptional margin. Beatrice’s time of 5.39.25 was enough to win the silver medal in the girls’ 13 years age group. Beatrice took bronze in the 200m individual medley in a PB of 2.42.98, as well as setting a PB of 31.02 in the 50-metre freestyle.

Ten-year-old Sigourney Bolton also produced an outstanding swim in her first long course competition, claiming a bronze medal in her 50m breaststroke event in a new PB 50.92.

Other junior swimmers who performed well included Oliver Lloyd - fifth in the 100m butterfly (2.10.93) and fifth in 50m butterfly (50.24).

Grace Ravell posted new PBs in the 100m breaststroke (2.09.75) and 50m backstroke (47.53).

A PB for Sophie Wilson of 3.04.81 in the 200m backstroke saw her take a fifth place.

There were also PBs in that event for Teagan Gregg, (3.53.47) and Lucie Lund (2.59.14). Lucie finished fourth in the 50m butterfly with a PB of 35.58 and also set a PB in the 200m freestyle of 2.47.17. Older brother Joe Lund, who was carrying an injury, could not participate in his preferred breaststroke events but still produced some good performances, with silver medals in the 100m butterfly (PB 1.08.75) and the 50m backstroke (PB 33.44).

Aidan Evans produced two fine performances, claiming a bronze medal in the 100m breaststroke, setting a new PB of 1.48.00, in the boys 10 years age group, and finishing fourth in the 100m freestyle in a PB time of 1.23.53.

Anya Strickland collected a hat-trick of medals in the girls 13 year age group. She took bronze in the 400m freestyle in a time of 4.59.31 and another in the 100m freestyle in a time of 1.07.02. In the 50m butterfly she set a new PB of 35.07 seconds to claim a silver medal in her age group.

“The weekend was a real success for the swimmers,” said head coach Keith Haynes. We saw a lot of new personal best times and it was excellent to see the younger swimmers take to long course competition so well, as for many it was their first time in a 50 metre pool. The meet sees the end of the season for many of the club swimmers, with the exception of the national championships.

“The work begins now to get ready for next season, when South Lincs will be looking for even more impressive results than we have achieved this season.”