Results

Thanet Open Host's European Record

Thanet Swim Club hosted their 2 nd annual Winter 200 Gala Level 2 designated meet at the Hartsdown Leisure Centre in Margate where the staff of Thanet Leisure Force assisted in transforming the facilities to accommodate what has become a prestigious sporting event.

Competitors could not miss any poolside action as the live action was beamed to a Giant Screen in the competitors' arena where they were also able to prepare for their events utilising the supervised warm up and warm down facilities. The extra poolside space meant there were no interruption in the running of the Gala and plenty of room for the superb Electronic Timing System, which had been sponsored for the event by the Thanet District Council Sports Development Unit and the Kent Sports Development Unit in association with Pfizer.

With such enhanced facilities and well over 1000 entries for the event, the Thanet Swim Club members were also out in force to the tune of 62 swimmers who set out to compete for the Thanet Open honours and they did not disappoint. 35 Gold, 19 Silver and 14 Bronze Medals, 126 Personal Best times and 12 new Club Records were achieved by the clubs swimmers but the record breaking did not stop there.

In the first event, the mixed 1500m Freestyle, one competitor was 14 year old Jo-Jo Cranfield from Rochford Swimming Club. Jo-Jo is a category S9 disability swimmer and she had come to Hartsdown with her eyes on a British Record attempt in a short course (25m) pool. In a time of 22mins 06.06secs, the 14 year old not only knocked over 1min 30secs off the British Record but also set a new European Record in the process. To illustrate how good her time was, Jo-Jo was a mere 1.34secs off breaking the current World Record and left us in no doubt that she would soon be the holder of that record too.

Kyriacos Papa-Adams produced a series of dominating displays in all his 6 events when the 10 year old completed an all Gold day as he scooped the top prize in every 9/10 year race. Kyriacos won the Gold Medal in the 200m Breaststroke in 3mins 09.96secs and the 50m Breaststroke in 41.94secs, both of which set a new 10 year boys Club Records. Kyriacos also won the Gold Medal in the 200m Freestyle (2mins 33.96secs) and 50m Freestyle (33.42secs), the 200m Individual Medley (2mins 57.99secs) and the 50m Backstroke (39.93secs) to complete his haul.

14 year old Jack Little was a quadruple Gold medallist as he took to the podium in all 5 of his races. Jack started his collection with the Silver Medal in the 800m Freestyle in 9mins 22.16secs. In the 50m Freestyle, Jack won the Gold Medal in a time of 27.02secs, setting not only a new 13/14 year boys Club Record but also taking the Open Age Club Record. Jack then claimed a further 3 Gold Medals with wins in the 200m Individual Medley (2mins 27.03secs), 50m Butterfly (30.28secs) and a really good 200m Freestyle in 2mins 07.10secs.

Tyler Turner was another quadruple Gold Medallist as she took top spot in all 4 of her 11/12 year races. 12 year old Tyler, won the Gold in the 800m Freestyle with a 34 second PB in a time of 10mins 14.59secs. Tyler claimed her next Gold in the 200m Individual Medley, again in a new PB of 2mins 46.94secs. Her third Gold was also won setting a new PB of 2mins 23.22secs in the 200m Freestyle and she claimed her final Gold Medal in the 200m Breaststroke in 3mins 02.80secs.

15 Year old Lacey Palmer struck Gold in all 4 of her Open Age group events. Lacey was top of the podium in the 200m Backstroke in a time of 2mins 26.87secs. Lacey also claimed the 50m Butterfly Gold Medal in 31.08secs as well as winning the Gold Medals in both the 50m Freestyle in 28.51secs and the 50m Backstroke in 32.75secs.

Charlotte Davies was another record breaker at the weekend. 14 year old Charlotte claimed the Gold Medal in the 13/14 year age group in the 800m Freestyle with a 9 second PB in 9mins 42.27secs. Another Gold followed in the 200m Individual Medley in 2mins 27.95secs. Charlotte then claimed the Silver in the 50m Butterfly (32.79secs) and again the Silver Medal in the 200m Freestyle with her time of 2mins 12.72secs setting a new 13/14 year girls Club Record. Charlotte rounded off her performances with a third Gold Medal, claiming the 200m Butterfly title in 2mins 32.83secs.

17 year old Sharnie Clements was a double Gold Medallist, winning the Open Age group in the 50m Breaststroke (35.96secs) and the 200m Individual Medley (2mins 37.21sesc). Sharnie also became a double Silver Medallist as she hit the podium with her performances in the 50m Butterfly (32.97secs) and 50m Freestyle (28.92secs).

Matthew Fitt has been in fine form of late and it showed at the weekend. Swimming in the Open Age group, 15 year old Matthew claimed a Silver Medal in the 800m Freestyle with a 14 second PB of 9mins 09.68secs. In the 200m Breaststroke, a 5 second PB saw him smash the 15/16 year and Open Age group Club Records to claim the Gold Medal in 2mins 38.75secs. Matthew claimed his second Gold Medal in the 50m Breaststroke with a great time of 34.54secs.

13 year old Evie Bunte was also a double Gold Medallist as she took the Gold in the 1500m Freestyle with an 8 second PB of 18mins 21.29secs. Evie was top of the podium again in the 50m Backstroke as she claimed the Gold Medal in a time of 33.60secs. Evie also won a Bronze Medal in the 200m Backstroke, recording 2mins 34.12secs.

Keiron Piper was in top form as he smashed no less than 3 Club Records in his 4 events. 15 year old Keiron claimed his first Club Record and Gold Medal in the 800m Freestyle with an impressive time of 8mins 45.94secs showing a 9 second PB. In the 50m Freestyle he recorded 27.39secs to claim the 15/16 year Club Record and then claimed his second Gold Medal in the 50m Backstroke in a time of 31.56secs to claim another 15/16 year Club Record.

14 year old Louise Gates was also Double Gold Medallist and she too was setting new marks in Club Records. Louise claimed the Gold Medal in the 50m Breaststroke in 36.41secs and followed that with a second Gold Medal in the 200m Breaststroke where her time of 2min 44.95secs set new Club Records in both the 13/14 year and Open Age groups.

Another 14 year old, Samantha Woodbridge claimed herself a Gold Medal as she won the 50m Freestyle in a time of 28.61secs to take top spot in the 13/14 year age group. Samantha was also a triple Bronze Medallist when she claimed 3 rd place in the 200m Individual Medley (2mins 34.35secs), the 200m Freestyle (2mins 14.92secs) and the 50m Backstroke (34.91secs).

18 year old Lucy Dray claimed the Gold Medal in the Open Age 200m Breaststroke as she recorded 2mins 59.52secs and followed that with Bronze Medals in both the 50m Breaststroke (39.58secs) and the 200m Individual Medley (2mins 43.04secs). 14 year old Phillip Kearney struck Gold as well as he took the honours in the 13/14 year 50m Breaststroke with a new PB of 36.09secs. 11 year old Jake Davies hit the top of the podium as he claimed the Gold Medal in the 11/12 year 50m Breaststroke in a time of 41.03secs.

Grace White had a top 4 finish in all eight of her races in the 9/10 year age group, culminating in her winning the overall Top Girl Award for her aggregate score. 10 year old Grace was a triple Silver Medallist with her performances in the 200m Individual Medley (3mins 04.36secs), the 50m Butterfly (40.42secs) and 200m Butterfly (3mins 32.03secs). Grace was also a triple Bronze Medallist as she claimed 3 rd place in the 50m Breaststroke (45.28secs), the 200m Freestyle (2mins 46.08secs) and the 200m Breaststroke (3mins 29.79secs).

Another 10 year old, Laura Craig was a double Silver Medallist in the 9/10 year age group as she claimed the Silver in both the 50m Breaststroke (44.93secs) and the 200m Breaststroke (3mins 28.94secs). 12 year old Chloe Thorpe made a 7 second PB in the 800m Freestyle as she recorded 9mins 52.43secs to claim the Silver Medal in the 11/12 year age group. Chloe became a double Silver Medallist when she then took 2 nd place in the 200m Breaststroke in 2mins 54.85secs.

10 year old Emmie Drew claimed the Silver Medal in the 9/10 year 50m Freestyle in 35.14secs and was a double Bronze Medallist as she claimed 3 rd place in both the 200m Backstroke (3mins 05.30secs) and the 50m Backstroke (42.10secs). 13 year old Libby Henson claimed a Silver Medal in the 13/14 year 200m Backstroke with a new PB of 2mins 31.47secs, while 9 year old Edward Kirkpatrick also claimed a Silver Medal with Edward winning his in the 9/10 year 200m Butterfly in 3mins 35.77secs.

10 year old Dominic Matthews won a Silver Medal in the 9/10 year 200m Backstroke (3mins 09.43secs). Joshua Bradford also won a Silver Medal as the 12 year old claimed 2 nd place in the 11/12 year 200m Butterfly with a new 5 second PB of 2mins 57.45secs. 16 year old Grace Fright took the Silver Medal in the 200m Breaststroke in the Open Age group in a time of 3mins 06.76secs.

9 year old Molly Dawson claimed a Bronze Medal in the 9/10 year 200m Butterfly (4mins 18.08secs) and another 9 year old, Patrick O'Callaghan also won a Bronze Medal with his being in the 9/10 year 200m Breaststroke in a new 5 second PB of 3mins 41.80secs. 16 year old Ashley Thorpe also claimed a Bronze Medal in the Open Age 200m Breaststroke recording 2mins 34.82secs.

126 new personal best times were achieved between them by Charlotte Davies (5), Kyriacos Papa-Adams (4), Jack Little (4), Matthew Fitt (4), Keiron Piper (4), Grace White (4), Emmie Drew (4), Edward Kirkpatrick (4), Joshua Bradford (4), Alex Wilmshurst (4), Harry Bradford (4), Joshua Dunk (4), Tyler Turner (3), Louise Gates (3), Samantha Woodbridge (3), Phillip Kearney (3), Laura Craig (3), Molly Dawson (3), Marnie Holloway (3), Oliver Barton (3), Ebony James (3), Aaron Clements (3), Billy-Ray Palmer (3), Caitlin McCavitt (3), Evie Bunte (2), Chloe Thorpe (2), Libby Henson (2), Patrick O'Callaghan (2), Aaron Laxton (2), Amy Giles (2), Charlie Frame Evans (2), Kristyana Papa-Adams (2), Emma Dray (2), Georgia Hayward (2), Louisa March (2), Maisie Cope (2), Ben Pond (2), Sharnie Clements, Lacey Palmer, Jake Davies, Dominic Matthews, Lauren Garrod, Lewis Cox, Millie Henson, Rebecca Stout, Tyler Cox, Courtney Bowyer, Gabe Drew, James Cook, Juliet Landeman, Kirsty Thorpe and Aileen McCavitt. There were also good swims by Nathan Woodbridge, Alex Kirkpatrick, Alice Cook, Amy O'Connor, Isaac O'Connor, Rebecca Kearney and Sophie Jacobs.