Stratford Sharks latest outing has been at the City of Coventry Level 3 Open meet. For many of the young swimmers in attendance for the Sharks, it was their first experience of competing in an Olympic size 50m pool and it was to their great credit that from the 36 swimmers they achieved numerous personal bests and 29 top 3 positions, over half of them first places.

  Stratford did not have to wait too long for their first trophies as in the very first event the 200m Freestyle Hannah Willis (10) took a fine 2nd place in her age group before Alice Quinn swam to the first of her three wins of the day in the 12yr age group. In the Boy’s event, Joshua Newman (15) opened his account with a win in the 15/over age group. The next event was the 50m Backstroke with Zoe Ford (9) swimming to 3rd place a position matched by Chloe Hale in the 10yr olds which saw Hannah Willis winning her second trophy of the day in this age group, this time in 1st. Oliver Quinn added a 3rd place in the boy’s 10yr age group.

  In a hugely successful morning session for the Sharks, Megan Pashley swam to 3rd place in the 100m Breaststroke before the Newman brothers Matthew (13) and Joshua (15) proved unbeatable in the boy’s event both taking 1st places in their age groups. Hannah Willis (10) and Alice Quinn (12) both rounded off a good morning for their events by winning their respective age groups in the 200m Backstroke, with Kara Malins taking 2nd in the 14/over age group and Oliver Quinn adding another 3rd place in the boy’s 10yr age group.

  In the last event of the morning the 100m Fly Sarah Peacop (14) finished 2nd which brought the Sharks trophy count to a fantastic 15 in the first session. The Sharks then moved into overdrive with the next 4 trophies picked up all 1st places. In the 200m Breaststroke, Lucy Griffiths (10), Megan Pashley (13) & Joshua Newman (15) all swam to 1st place before Alice Quinn (12) added another and her third of the day in the 100m Freestyle.

  Megan Pashley took her third Breaststroke medal of the day this time 3rd in the 50m sprint event before once again Matthew & Joshua Newman both took 1st in the boy’s event, Matthew’s second & Joshua’s fourth of the day to finish the second session. In a long and tiring day, the youngsters continued to compete well into the evening session. Lucy Griffiths (10) took her second 1st place of the day in the 50m Freestyle, a position matched by Charlotte Cox in the 200m Individual Medley, James Wimbury (13) swimming to 3rd in the boy’s event.

  The girl’s 50m Fly saw 9yr olds Elka Hair & Charlotte Cox finish 1st & 2nd both inside the Sharks age group record that had previously stood for 6 years with Ailsa Gavan-Mcharg 3rd in the 11yr age group. Kit Gallagher (10) brought an extremely successful and satisfying day for the Sharks coaches and swimmers to a conclusion by winning the final trophy of the day with 3rd in the 100m Backstroke.