Local members from Chard and District Swimming Club competed in their first club gala of the year at The Flamingo Pool in Axminster, with many enthusiastic younger swimmers making their debut.

Are you interested in competitive swimming? Would you like the opportunity to train under the instruction of a World class coach, Zoe Baker, and represent the club at competition level?

Chard and District Swimming Club is a friendly club with a promising future and has training facilities at Chard, Crewkerne, Axminster and Millfield Pool in Street.

The club is particularly looking for boys aged 7 – 9 yrs but would happily welcome any swimmer looking to progress with their swimming. Check out the club website now on http://www.chardswimming.org.uk

At the gala, top swims came from Charlie Kendall who won all four of his races in the 11 yrs category for the 50m butterfly, 100m freestyle, 200m I/M and 200m breaststroke.

Rory Dyer and Georgia Down both achieved their Silver Speed Badges in the 50m Freestyle Novice events. Rory swam a time of 34-22 and Georgia attained a time of 35-92.

In the Boys’ 8 yrs & under 25m backstroke and 25m breaststroke Luke Chant had two wins with Oscar Rens obtaining second in both these events. In the Girls’ 8 yrs & under, Milly Kendall won the 25m butterfly and was second in the 25m freestyle, whilst Abigail Greenslade obtained second in the 25m butterfly and third in the 25m freestyle.

Top 3 medallists were:

Open: Jake Hallam, lst, 50m butterfly and 200m I/M, 2nd 100m freestyle; Luke van den Barselaar 1st, 100m freestyle, 2nd 50m butterfly, 200m breaststroke, and 200m I/M.

Hannah Pullinger, 1st 50m breaststroke, 2nd 200m backstroke; Laura Coombs 2nd 100m butterfly.

13/14 yrs: Jay Kindred 2nd, 200m breaststroke with Alex Phillips coming 3rd.

Abigail Dare won the 200m backstroke and the 100m butterfly, 2nd 50m breaststroke; Lauren Harrison 2nd, 100m butterfly, 3rd 200m backstroke and 50m breaststroke.

12 yrs: Lewis Pearson 1sts 50m butterfly, 100m freestyle, and 200m I/M, 2nd 200m breaststroke; Iain Ross lst 200m breaststroke, 2nd, 50m butterfly, 100m freestyle and 200m I/M.

Susan Ross 2nd, 200m backstroke and 100m butterfly, 3rd 50m breaststroke. Ella Harvey, 2nd, 50m breaststroke, 3rd, 200m backstroke; Florence Swan, 3rd 100m butterfly.

11 yrs: Ryan Adair came 2nd, 50m butterfly, 200m I/M, 3rd, 200m breaststroke. Ben Greenslade 2nd, 100m freestyle, 3rd, 50m butterfly. Bea Brett, 1st 200m backstroke and the 100m butterfly. Rosie Bolton 2nd, 100m butterfly and 50m breaststroke.

10yrs: Leo Kindred, lst 200m breaststroke, 100m freestyle. Jessica Fowler, 1st 200m backstroke with Millie Shrubb 3rd. 9yrs: Michael Moulding 1st, 200m breaststroke, 100m freestyle. Joss Copeman 2nd, 100m freestyle. Daisy Brett 1st, 200m backstroke, with Xanthe Dyer 2nd and Jasmine Wellman 3rd. 50m breaststroke Megan Herbert lst , Daisy Brett 2nd, Helen Underwood 3rd.

Other events that regularly take place at each of the four club galas are the freestyle novice events. The results for the first gala were:

9 & under 25m Novice Freestyle: l, Joss Copeman; 2, Michael Moulding. 1, Milly Kendall; 2, Xanthe Dyer. 50m Novice Freestyle: l, Rory Dyer; 2, Nathan Roberts; 3, Alex Phillips. 1, Georgia Down; 2, Florence Swan; 3, Bea Brett.

Other local participants mostly attaining personal bests were: Oliver Bilbie, Lauren Burrough, Harriet Copeman, , Holly Dickinson, Nancy Doble, Natasha Dower, Barnaby Down, Marianna Dyer, Ben Fowler, Paul Harrison, Jake Harvey, Polly Martin, Jessica McAuley, Eden McDonald, Abigail Phillips, Jamie Pullinger, Lauren Real, Mollie and Tom Simpson, Sarah and Natalie Underwood.