News - Maxwell 2009-01

National Times gained and Personal Bests Slashed at Maxwell Swim Club’s 25th Open Meet

Last weekend (January 24th/25th) more than 300 swimmers arrived at the Aqua Vale Pool in Aylesbury to compete in Maxwell Swim Club’s 25th Designated Open Meet. The two-day meet attracted competitors from as far a field as Coventry, Bournemouth and London resulting in some high-class swimming in what proved to be a very busy but extremely well organised event. The club is grateful to all the officials and volunteers who contributed to the smooth running of the programme. Special thanks goes to referee John Wilford for his help & dedication to the club by making this his 25th Open meet he has officiated for Maxwell.

Amongst the older swimmers, this was a highly successful weekend for Ollie Brewer and Hannah Askew (both 17) who both achieved National Qualification times. For Ollie this came in the 200m Backstroke event for which he won a gold medal with a time of 2:09.55. He also won Gold in the 100m Backstroke and picked up a Silver and two Bronze for other events over the weekend. For Hannah only 27.22 seconds were required to complete the 50m Freestyle, so achieving a National Qualifying time in this event. This was one of seven Golds she achieved at the Meet.

Sarah Powell (16) won Gold medals in both the 100 and 200m Individual Medley events in times of 1:09.48 and 2:29.15 respectively. She also won Gold in the 200m Freestyle and 50m Backstroke. Her tally of medals was enhanced by three Silvers and two Bronze medals.

Jonny Quainton (16) gained three Gold medals and two Bronzes. His wins came in the 200m Individual Medley and the 200m and 100m Freestyle races.

Of the other older swimmers Briony Everett (16) won a Gold in the 50m Butterfly whilst Holly McIntyre (16) won her Gold in the 50m Breaststroke. Both these swimmers also won Bronze medals as did brothers David and Tom Smith whilst Sarah Turner won two Bronze medals.

Rhys Hylands (12) performed extremely well to gain three Gold and two Silver medals. Two of his Golds came in the 100m and 200m Butterfly events which he completed in 1:10.84 and 2:39.58, the second of which represented a 15 second personal best.

Thomas Kaye (14) won two Gold (100m Individual Medley and 200m Backstroke) and two Silvers, a feat surpassed by Corinne James (14) who won the same number of Gold (100m Individual Medley and 50m Breaststroke) and Silver medals to which she added a Bronze. Anna Evison (14) won Gold in the 200m Breaststroke in a time of 2:48.23 and also won 5 Silver and a Bronze. Abi Bunce (14) won Gold in the 400m Freestyle completing this event in 4:40.30 and also earned herself two Silvers and two Bronze medals.

Maxwell’s other Gold medals were won by Liam O’Brien (12) in the 50m Freestyle which he finished in an impressive 28.22 seconds, James Alley (10) whose 40.11 won him the 50m Butterfly, whilst Owain Spencer (10) completed the gruelling 200m Butterfly in 3:18.68.

In all Maxwell swimmers gained nearly 100 medals at this Meet illustrating the considerable strength in depth at the Club. Medallists not already mentioned were Ellie Bunce, Kenny Cliffe, Abbie Haward, Aaron Lee, Emily Martin, Cristina Matheson, Adam and Thomas Mayho, Georgina Parkins, Leah Picillo, Lauren Pitts and Josh Turner.
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