Dolphin looking good in Gloucester

Event: City of Gloucester Level 3 Open Meet Venue: GL1 Leisure Centre, Gloucester Date: 5th to 7th October 2012

Dolphin’s first outing of the season to an open meet took place last weekend with a squad of 30 making the short trip west to the City of Gloucester level 3 open meet at the GL1 Leisure Centre.  Most swimmers were looking to at least secure places at the 2013 regional championships, although with the qualifying times are yet to be confirmed, the main target was to record times within the previous year’s times.

Danielle Lewis got the ball rolling for Dolphin on the Friday evening session with a regional standard 800m freestyle swim.  The 14 year old also recorded times in the 200m backstroke and 400m freestyle that should also prove to be within the 2013 qualifying times and give Lewis her first regional appearance.  The girls 200m breaststroke proved fruitful for Dolphin with Kayleigh Bartlett and Louise Gardo both with swims that should also earn them the right to compete at the championships next May for the first time.  Ella Wardale looks to be Dolphin’s fourth new qualifier with an impressive 100m backstroke swim.

Louise Gardo ~ looks set to qualify for the 2013 regional championships

A further ten swimmers recorded regional standard swims with Beth Crouch, James Watson, Thomas Newbery and Victoria Tainty all notably going under the mark on five events each.  Bradley McCabe, Josh Smith, Millie Jeans, Olivia Flack, Rebecca Matthews and Sophie Bartlett also added to Dolphin’s overall regional tally.

In the medals, James Watson was the most successful with 5 gold and 1 silver.  Beth Crouch earned 2 gold and 2 silver with Dolphin’s other gold medal performances coming from Victoria Tainty, Millie Jeans, Thomas Newbery, Georgia Dicks and Callum Marriott.