Quartet of Dolphins compete in West Midlands meetings

Four Gainsborough Dolphins swimmers have been in West Midlands area competitions in the last five weeks.

Eighteen-year-old James Smith, 17-year-old David Trickett, 13-year-old Ewan McKay and 12-year-old William Walmsley had previously achieved qualifying times in the Lincolnshire County age groups, for the district championships.

Smith and Trickett travelled to Corby’s international 50m pool.

Both boys have been swimming with the club since ‘little pool’ days.

They have both competed for the county and at Corby were swimming against each other in the same events – the 50m breaststroke and the 100m breaststroke.

With swimmers from Birmingtham, Wolverhampton, Northampton, Leicester in action, the opposition was going to be tough.

The 50m breaststroke was first on the programme and there were more than 40 qualifiers.

Smith completed a personal best time swim and finished an overall 14th, and Trickett was just behind him in 18th.

The following week the boys were back again at Corby for the 100m breaststroke.

This time Trickett finished 14th and Smith 18th.

The younger, under 15 swimmers, qualified for the district championships but these were held in the international pool at Coventry earlier this month.

McKay took part in the the 100m butterfly – his favourite stroke and favorite distance.

Despite slight rustiness, due to a holiday the week before the competition in Coventry, he still finished in a creditable 12th place in his age group, just shy of his best ever time.

Walmsey, who has been working hard in all his training sessions, picked up some deserved swimming successes.

His first weekend swim was the 200m butterfly.

He completed the swim in a personal best time to finish just outside a final placing which involved the top eight in his age group.

He was back at Coventry the following weekend for more butterflies – this time the 100m.

The Gainsborough swimmer was in a confident mood after his swim the previous week so it came as no surprise to his coach, Colin Pitchforth, when he produced another personal best time.

Again he was just outside the finals.

The Gainsborough Dolphins club train at the West Lindsey Leisure Centre every day except Friday.

The top Dolphins squad, with nearly 40 swimmers of varying ages, train at each and every session.

The sessions ensure a very high level of fitness, with over 4,000m completed in every outing.

The Gainsborough Dolphins are hoping for many more honours as their talented youngsters move up the age group rankings at county level and beyond.

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