SWIMMING: Record showing by Tiverton in Devon championships (From Mid Devon Star)

SWIMMING: Record showing by Tiverton in Devon championships

12:37pm Friday 22nd March 2013 in Sport

TIVERTON Swimming Club chalked up record results at the Devon county championships.

A total of 21 young swimmers aged between nine to 18 travelled to the Plymouth Life Centre to contest a total of 98 events across three weekends.

They managed to chalk up 31 final places, five gold medals, ten silver and bronze medals and countless personal best times as well as 18 South-West regional qualifying times.

Twelve-year-old Emily Abraham was the star performer, collecting gold medals in the 100 and 200m butterfly and 100m individual medley.

She also picked up silvers in the 100m and 200m breaststroke and 400m IM along with bronze in the 200m IM and 400m freestyle. Abraham also reached finals in four other events, secured eight regional qualification times, and came away with a Fina award for fourth place overall in the 12-year-old girls category.

In the same category Gemma Owen reached the finals in the 100m and 200m butterfly, finishing seventh and eighth respectively and gaining a substantial seven second personal best in the 100m.

Robyn Chard Maple, 13, came sixth in the individual medley and seventh in the 400m freestyle.

In the 14-year-old girls category team- mates Jess Butler and Caitlin Tyrrell swam side by side in the final of the 200m breaststroke, coming sixth and seventh respectively. Tyrrell also swam in the 100m breaststroke, finishing sixth. Ennea Miller Hunt, also 14, reached the final in the 100m freestyle and came sixth in the 50m freestyle with her first-ever swim under 30 seconds.

Not to be outdone by the girls, the boys also recorded impressive swims. Ten-year-old Lucca Riezzo, swimming in his first championships, finished fifth in the final of the 200m breastroke.

Finn Stoneman, 11, also came away with a Fina award for second place overall after silver medals in the 100m and 200m individual medley, 200m backstroke and 200m butterfly.

He was also fourth in the 200m breaststroke with a remarkable 17 second personal best and sixth in the 200m freestyle.

His 13-year-old brother Jake reached the finals in the 100m and 200m breaststroke, 400m freestyle and 400m individual medley, coming eighth, sixth, eighth and fifth respectively.

Thirteen-year-old Will Klinkenberg easily took gold in the 100m freestyle final with a three second personal best, qualifying for the regional championships and narrowly missing out on a national qualifying time.

In the 15-year-old age group Adam Clewer won the silver medal in the 400m individual medley, came fourth in the 200m butterfly, and was sixth in both the 200m individual medley and the 100 breaststroke.

In the men’s open age group 16-year-old Callum Stoneman gained his regional qualifying time in the final of the 100m backstroke. He was also fourth in the final of the 400m freestyle. Joe Zilch, 18, secured five regional qualifying times and took gold in the finals of the 50m butterfly and 50m backstroke. He was also seventh in the final of the 100m backstroke.

Head Coach Dave Clift said: “This year’s competition has seen some fantastic results. The swimmers’ hard work has started to pay off with many best times and regional qualifications.

“The coaching team hope this is the start of a successful 2013. Tiverton Swimming Club strives to be a competition focussed club and we hope this is the beginning of a bright future.”