In a superb weekend of swimming at The Boldmere Water Carnival nine members of Stratford Sharks recorded an impressive 33 personal best times from 58 swims breaking a fantastic 10 club records and taking 10 first, 3 second and 12 third places. The first event, the 200m Freestyle, saw the Sharks get off to a great start. In the youngest age group 9 year olds Kathryn Lythgo and Olga Hall narrowly missed out on the top 3 taking 4th & 5th place respectively but both in new best times. Becky Tame recorded her first top 3 of the weekend in the 15 year age group by taking 2nd in a new club record time. The Sharks first win of the weekend was delivered by Joe Evans (16) in the 16/over age group who then followed this up with 3rd in the 100m Butterfly.

  The next top 3’s were courtesy of Olga Hall (9) and Becky Tame (15) in the 50m Backstroke both taking 3rd place. Also competing in this event were Kathryn Lythgo (9), Lucy Tame (13) and Kara Malins who achieved a new best time for 5th in the 14 year age group. In his first Open Meet 9 year William Foster got off to a fantastic winning start in the 50m Butterfly, a new club record time was his reward which also sees him ranked number one in the West Midlands and 4th in the UK in his age group. This was quickly followed by Olga Hall taking the 9 years club record in the 200m Backstroke for 2nd place and Lucy Tame 3rd in the 13 year age group. The first day’s successes were rounded off by Kara Malins 3rd in the 14 years 100m Breaststroke.

  The second day got off to a brilliant start in the 50m Freestyle. Once again William Foster led the way taking 1st place in the 9 year olds breaking his second club record of the weekend, taking the number one ranking in the West Midlands in the process and an excellent 5th in the UK. Ed Caswell finished 3rd in the 12 year olds, a position matched by Joe Evans in the 16/overs. In the girls event Kathryn Lythgo lowered the 9 year club record to take 1st place with Olga Hall close in 3rd with Ysabelle Caswell the third 9 year old competing. Lucy Tame (13) & Kara Malins (14) set new personal best times both finishing 5th in their respective ages Becky Tame rounding off this event with another 1st place in the 15 year age group

  More club records fell in the 400m Freestyle with William Foster taking his tally to three whilst swimming to victory to become the UK’s top ranked 9 year old with Joe Evans setting a new personal best to win the 16/over age group. Olga Hall lowered the 9 year old girl’s record, her second record of the weekend, to take 3rd place, Lucy Tame lowering her personal best for 5th in the 13 year age group with Becky Tame 2nd in the 15 years olds.

  The girls delivered again in the Breaststroke events. Firstly Kathryn Kythgo was 3rd in the 9 years 50m Breaststroke with Becky Tame 1st in the 15 years in a new personal best. In the 200m Breaststroke Kara Malins took 3rd place in the 14 year age group which also saw Ysabelle Caswell and Olga Hall achieving personal bests for 6th & 7th in the 9 year age group.

  In the 100m Freestyle, Joe Evans (16) backed up his victories in the 200 & 400m events by taking the top spot in a new club best time with Lucy Tame setting a new personal best for 7th in the girls 13 years. The final events of the weekend were the 100m Individual Medley. William Foster completed a 100% return of club records for his events taking 5h in the 9 year olds with Joe Evans winning his fourth event in the 16/overs. In the girls events Olga Hall and Kathryn Lythgo set new personal bests for 3rd & 6th respectively in the 9 years age group with Hall’s time her third club record of the weekend, Lucy Tame finishing 5th in the 13 years in a new personal best.