Seagulls Swimming Club make splash at 2024 South West Regional Championships
SEAGULLS Swimming Club – who train in New Milton and Christchurch – had a record number of individuals swimming at the South West Regional Championships 2024.
The event – held over three weekends in Bristol, Millfield School, and Plymouth – saw swimmers aged 11-14 compete in the first two weekends, with the final meet spread across three days for the 15 and over competitors.
The distance races included 800m and 1500m, while the 50m, 100m and 200m races included finals, meaning contenders vied for a spot on the podium.
The first weekend at Bristol saw some great success, including medal swims.
In the 1500m freestyle, Neve Truscott dropped a massive personal best (PB) to clinch her first regional title.
Silver medal swims came from Halle Robinson in the 50 breaststroke, posting a club record, and Jonathan Thring in the 1500m freestyle.
The final medal swim of the weekend saw Freya Treliving also post a massive PB to claim her first regional medal with a bronze in the 1500m freestyle.
Lucy Corner claimed fourth and fifth-place finishes in her first regionals in the 50m and 200m backstroke.
Meanwhile, the other qualifiers, Archie Rand, Sophie Kilby, Charlie Twort and Amelie Brazier, did themselves proud.
At the second weekend at Millfield School, Truscott again made the podium, this time with a silver for the 800m freestyle, carrying on her excellent form with another enormous PB.
Bronze medals came in the form of the club’s breaststroke girls, providing great racing with Halle Robinson in the 100m and Sophie Kilby in the 200m.
Both girls look to be within the window to compete at the GB Summer Championships in Sheffield in July.
Special mention to swimmers making finals in Archie Rand (eighth in the 200m fly) and Lucy Corner (fourth in the 100m backstroke).
Amelie Brazier, Mia Minardi, Daniel Zaganych, Liam Stewart and Jonathan Thring were the weekend’s other racers.
The final weekend in Plymouth saw the club add another three regional medals – all won by Edward Bell – equalling their tally of most medals won at the South West Regional Championships.
Bell’s impressive showing saw him win gold in the 200m freestyle final and take 50m backstroke and 100 freestyle silvers.
He also broke six club records and qualified for several races in the upcoming summer championships.
The Seagulls also had swimmers in the 200m front crawl and 200m breaststroke, in the guise of eighth-placed Jonathan Thring and seventh-placed Thomas Dewey, respectively.
The remaining swimmers were Freya Treliving, Harry Pollard, Ella Francis, Isaac Thring, George Gillett and Orla Whitaker.
Seagulls Swimming Club trains at Two Rivers Meet and New Milton – for more information about joining, visit rb.gy/mzbjsw
