Medway Amateur Swimming Association Championships Gala 4

Medway Amateur Swimming Association Championships Gala 4

Teams from Gravesend, Larkfield, Sheerness, Sittingbourne, Rochester, Maidstone and Gillingham competed in this weekend’s Championships held at the Black Lion Leisure Centre Gillingham.

It was a busy time for the Black Lion team as the championships fell in the middle of their own club championships, so a busy few days of competition for the Lion’s. Some spectacular swimming, impressive skill and determination from swimmers in the Medway ASA area resulted in no less then 5 Medway records falling in one night.This shows the calibre of swimmers coming through, their commitment and the quality of coaching available.

First race of the evening was the Ladies Open 400 m Freestyle and competing in this race was Black Lions Girls Captain 15 year old Sara Parfett. From the start, Sara dived in coming up 0.5 m in front of her nearest competitor and powered her way like a machine into clear water in a stunning display of swimming. The race ended with her finishing 35m clear of her nearest rival with a 24 second margin in 4:30.02. Sara claimed both the Medway under16 girls and Open Ladies records as well as breaking both of her own club records that she had established only 2 days previously.

Black Lion girls swam well with 1st to 4th placings. Cydney Martin 2nd and Sophie Tills 3rd.

In the Men’s Open 400 m Freestyle, it was a different story as Black Lion’s Tom Foley and Jon Lane battled it out over the first 200m in a neck and neck fight for the title. At the 7th turn Foley started to pull away and never stopped increasing his lead finishing in 4:16.49 and scooping the Men’s record. Jon meanwhile came in second

picking up the under 16 boys record in 4:28.38 as his consolation for a hard fought crack at the title. Third place went toGravesend’s Ben Jeapes in 4:41.82.

Millie Collett, Black Lion, took the gold in the 10 year Girls 25 m Butterfly in 17.93 just ahead of Maidstone’s Hannah Nickalls and Darcy Baldwin of Black Lion in 3rd. In the 10 year boys 25m Butterfly Gravesend’s Jacob West picked up gold in 18.32 with Kyle Pattison of Black Lion 2nd and Ryan Pritchett of Beachfield 3rd.

In the girls 13 year 100 Breaststroke Rebecca Morris of Black Lion swam an impressive race finishing first in 1.28.55 with clear water behind her. Second place went to Amy Holbrook of Gravesend and Melanie Jones Black Lion 3rd.

In the boys 13 year 100 Breaststroke John Allen from Gravesend took gold in 1:25.71 with Harry Williams of Sittingbourne 2ndand Black Lion’s Matthew Parry 3rd.

Adam Memmott of Rochester took the 50 m Men’s Butterfly gold in 30.24.

Meanwhile in the 14 year Girls 100 IM Sophie Tills from Black Lion managed to fight off a posse of swimmers from Maidstone. Sophie finished first in 1:54.57 with Maidstone taking 2nd to 5th places with Zoe Lynn taking 2nd and Kelsie Gibson 3rd. There was a no room for error in the 14 year boys 100 IM as James Mapley took gold in 1:09.64 followed very closely by teammate Patrick Foley 2nd and James Black 3rd.

Larkfield’s Daniel Honour impressed his team mates as he took gold in the 11 year boys 100m Freestyle in 1.13.67 with Stephen Bell of Black Lion 2nd and Joe Jarmain 3rd. In the 15-year Girls 100 IM Cydney Martin took gold in 1:17.78 withEllie Bristow from Rochester in 2nd place.

In the 15 year Boys 100m IM Jonathan Lane took 1st place in 1:04.10 taking a Medway record knocking 1.5 s of the previous record with team mate Kieron Ager 2nd and Oliver Jenkins of Maidstone 3rd.

In the girls 12 year 100m backstroke Yasmin Ashton of Black Lion won in 1:22.70 with Aaliyah Mathurin of Rochester 2nd and Rebecca Chapman 3rd

On to the last event of the Evening and it is the 12 year boys 100m Backstroke and Leo Kelly-Gee one of Black Lions rising stars attacked the race with confidence and style, the expectations of those that have been watching this young man were fulfilled as he romped home in a stunning 1.11.70 setting the 5th new record for this championship. Jake Garrigan took 2ndplace and Alex Sweet 3rd

A successful night for swimming in Medway and in particular for Black Lion who’s swimmers won no less then 9 out of the 12 age group events plus all four 400m Senior and junior events and smashed 5 Medway records.

Photo of the four Medway Record breakers

Sara Parfett under 16 girls 400m record breaker and ladies open 400m Freestyle record breaker

Tom Foley Mens open 400m Freestyle record breakers

Jon Lane 15 year boys 100m IM record breaker

Leo Kelly-Gee 13 year boys 100m Backstroke record breaker

Alan Parfett Press Officer MASA