Isle of Man Swimming Club took a strong squad of 60 swimmers to the Robin Hood Open Meet at the Ponds Forge International Swimming Centre in Sheffield recently.

Reports from the opening two sessions appeared in recent editions of the Isle of Man Examiner.

SESSION FOUR

The Manx swimmers got off to a flying start at Ponds Forge, with Jacob Wright securing the team’s first medal of the final session.

Competing in the 10-year-old 200-metre breaststroke, Wright earned bronze with a time of 3 minutes 51.71 seconds.

This marked the beginning of a medal-packed afternoon for the Utmost Wealth-sponsored squad, with podium finishes coming thick and fast.

Oscar Garczynski swam to age 11 silver in a storming 3:30.88, before older brother Jacob bagged the age 13 silver in a lifetime best 2:56.24, with Carter Kneale taking bronze.

The final Manx 200m breaststroke medal came courtesy of Adam Shuttleworth who took S15 gold in 2:55.36.

Olivia Williamson was named third best girl overall after winning gold in the age 12 girls’ 100 metres backstroke race
Olivia Williamson was named third best girl overall after winning gold in the age 12 girls’ 100 metres backstroke race (-)

In the girls’ 100 metres backstroke, Olivia Williamson was well clear of the rest of the age 12 field, while Ellie Rowlands had a superb swim behind her to claim bronze.

Kaya Reynolds also dominated her age group, taking age 15 gold in a rapid 1:16.26, a full five seconds ahead of the second-placed swimmer.

In the 50m freestyle, Henry Mackenzie had a standout swim to stop the clock at 36.64s for the age nine silver medal. Usual suspects Ed Pearson and Carter Kneale did not disappoint, claiming age 12 gold and age13 silver respectively.

Fourteen-year-old Cameron Leslie made big gains on his lifetime best, clocking 30.55 for seventh, while Josh Hollamby was only 2/100s off age 15 gold, completing the race in 27.63 to earn the silver medal.

Ellie Rowlands had a superb swim to claim bronze in the girls’ 100 metres backstroke
Ellie Rowlands had a superb swim to claim bronze in the girls’ 100 metres backstroke (-)

In the 16 and overs, Dylan Larrosa had a great swim clocking 26.34 to secure bronze, while Tom Caine followed closely behind in a very respectable 26.84.

Larrosa and Caine were backed up by Jacob Craine who went sub 29 seconds in 28.33, and Kian Johnson who also crept under the magical 30-second barrier.

There were some excellent performances from the Manx girls in the 50-metre breaststroke, starting in the age 10 event with Una Pease who continued her fantastic form with the silver medal.

Pease’s success inspired Rebecca Parkes on to a brilliant age 11 bronze, after which Holly Wilson earned age-12 silver completing the length of the pool in a speedy 43.03.

Dylan Larrosa secure a bronze medal in the 16 and overs 50m freestyle race
Dylan Larrosa secure a bronze medal in the 16 and overs 50m freestyle race (-)

The impressive Zoe Neuwirt made it a clean sweep of breaststroke golds, setting the fastest 50m breaststroke time of the day with a 37.41 clocking.

Kaya Reynolds then followed, clinching her second medal in quick succession with age 15 silver. Ellie Johnson rounded off the Manx swims in style, taking 16-and-over gold in 37.75.

Jack Marshall finished on the age 15 podium in bronze medal position in the 100-metre butterfly
Jack Marshall finished on the age 15 podium in bronze medal position in the 100-metre butterfly (-)

In the male/open 100-metre butterfly, Pearson added a superb silver to his collection, with Oscar Maddrell securing the bronze, while Eli Birchenough had a solid swim in ninth place. Kneale bagged yet another age 13 bronze in a swift 1m 13.50s, while Jack Marshall continued his excellent meet finishing on the age 15 podium in bronze medal position in a time of 1:10.43.

The final two events of the meet saw one last medal flurry for the Manx. Ruby Reynolds paced the fourth lengths of the 200m freestyle distance perfectly to earn the bronze medal in 2.32.54, before Jacob Garczynski ended the meet on a high, locking in the silver medal in the 200m backstroke.

Carter Kneale was named the third best male/open swimmer after claiming age 13s 50m freestyle gold and silver in the 200-metre breaststroke
Carter Kneale was named the third best male/open swimmer after claiming age 13s 50m freestyle gold and silver in the 200-metre breaststroke (-)

OVERALL

The team were deservedly awarded best visiting club, having accumulated more than 100 medals across the two days of swimming.

There were also individual honours for Carter Kneale as third best male/open swimmer and Olivia Williamson as third best female.

Thanks go to long-standing sponsor Utmost Wealth for its support of Manx swimming and to the very hard-working coaches and team managers: James Wright, Jenny McEvoy, Chris Pearson, Sian Killey, Kirsty Reynolds, Stuart Gell, Tracy Kirby, Caroline Maddrell, Allan Walkingshaw and Mat Williamson.

Thanks also to Roma Kesa for officiating at the meet.

VANESSA CHRISTIAN