Fins Competitive Swim Club

Carnegie Spring Meet 16/17 May 26

Carnegie Swimming Club held their annual Spring Meet at he Michael Woods Centre, Glenrothes, on the 16 and 17 May 2026.

The meet involved swimmers between the ages of 8 and 14 years and was age on the day, rather than the normal age on 31 December. There was one double age group, 8/9 years, with all others being single year age groups.

Fins had 18 swimmers, competing over the two days in a total of 82 swims, resulting in 4 gold, 4 silver, and bronze medals, plus a further 35 top 10 placings. They also recorded a good improvement rate of 76%.

As the majority of swimmers were younger, relatively inexperienced swimmers there were no great expectations that there would be a lot of change to the Fins’ all-time top 50 short course rankings, but there were 4 new entries, 1 improvement and one no change.

One swimmer to take full advantage of age on the day, and Fins’ top swimmer over the two days, was Ethan Pate, 14 years male, who is normally classed as a 15 year old in most competitions this year. Ethan had an excellent two days winning 2 events, 4 silver and one bronze medal plus 4 other top 10 placings.

Ethan won both his 400m freestyle and 200m backstroke and his 200m backstroke, with a time of 2 minutes 31.88 seconds, a PB of 5.19 seconds, he enters the Fins’ rankings in 45th position. This in turn means that we lose Gavin English who set his time in March 1987 at East Kilbride. The new time now required for entry is 2 minutes 33.30 seconds.

In his 400m freestyle Ethan had 3 one hundredths of a second PB and therefore no change to his position in the rankings and he remains in 25th place.

Ethan’s four silver medals were in the 100m and 200m butterfly, 200m freestyle, and the 200m individual medley. His time of 2 minutes 9.11 seconds, which was a 3.06 second PB, in his 200m freestyle gave Ethan his second entry to the rankings, this time in 40th place. Leaving the rankings is Andrew King who set his time at Carnegie in March 1998. The time now required for entry is 2 minutes11.10 seconds.

Ethan recorded a 2.51 second PB in his 100m butterfly, which leaves him just 0.41 seconds short of entry to the rankings.

Ethan also won a bronze medal in the 50m butterfly with a 0.89 second PB, but again this comes up just short of the ranking qualifying time by 0.47 seconds.

There were also two 4th places in his 50m and 100m freestyle, with really the same story emerging on both. In his 50m freestyle a 0.61 second PB leaves him short of entry to the rankings by 0.27 seconds, while in his 100m freestyle it was a 0.16 second PB leaving him 0.77 seconds short.

Ethan had two further swims finishing 5th in both the 100m individual medley and the 50m backstroke, and yet again it was the same familiar pattern in his 50m backstroke where a 0.16 second PB left him 0.84 seconds short of the rankings.

If Ethan can maintain his recent improvements, he is very close to gaining entry to the rankings in another four events at least.

The other winner at the weekend was Elliot Blair, 12years male, who won gold medals in the 200m butterfly and 50m backstroke. Elliot recorded the 2nd largest PB by a Fins’ swimmer of 9.48 seconds in his 200m butterfly and his time of 3 minutes 5..74 seconds gains him entry to the Fins’ rankings in 49th place. With the exception of three events, both male and female, and these are distance events, Elliot the short course rankings are complete and since this has happened a 12 year old male to qualify for the rankings is unheard of, so quite an achievement for Elliot. As the 200m butterfly is full we do have to lose a swimmer and this time it is John McKay who set his time at Whitburn in March 1993. The time now requires for entry is 3 minutes 8. 70 seconds.

Elliot also won 3 bronze medals in the 100m backstroke, 100m freestyle, and 100m butterfly, recording PBs in both the 100m butterfly and 100m freestyle.

In his other three swims he just missed out on more medals finishing 4th in the 50m butterfly, 200m freestyle, and 200m individual medley, again

recording PBs in the 200m freestyle and 200m individual medley but his times in all four events are still a good bit away from the rankings.

Cole Gray, 13 years male, won two bronze medals in the 200m butterfly and 200m freestyle. He recoded the 3rd largest PB of 7.53 seconds in his200m butterfly and his time of 2 minutes 45.98 seconds means that he moves up the rankings from 43rd to 40th Cole also had a PB in his 200m freestyle but is just over 10 seconds short of the time for the rankings.

Cole was also 6th in his 100m individual medley and 9th in the 50m butterfly. Both produced PBs but again short of the ranking qualifying times.

Leyton Neilson 12 years male, won a bronze medal in his 400m freestyle. This was Leyton’s 1st sim in the event so did vert well to get a medal. He also finished 7th in the 100m individual medley, 10th in the 50m butterfly, and 11th in the 200m freestyle. Leyton recorded good PBs in all three events, but well short of the rankings.

The final bronze medal was won by Abby Crawford, 9 years female, with a good PB in what was her only swim.

Jack Campbell, 14 years male, was 4th in the 100m breaststroke, 5th in the 200m freestyle,6th in the 50m butterfly, 7th in the 100m individual medley, 8th in the 50m backstroke, 9th in the 50m freestyle, and 13th in the 100m freestyle. Jack recorded PBs in five out of his seven swims including the 5th largest in his 100m breaststroke of 5.46 seconds, but is still quite a bit off the rankings.

Sadie Paton, 13 years female, was 4th in the 200m butterfly, 6th in both the 100m and 200m backstroke, and the 200m individual medley, 9th in the 100m butterfly, 10th in the 50m breaststroke, 14th in the 100m freestyle, 15th in the 100m butterfly, and 18th in the 50m freestyle.

In her 200m butterfly Sadie recorded a PB of 1.25 seconds and a time of 3 minutes 10.03 seconds, resulting in her entry to the rankings in 50th place. The swimmer who has to leave is Lucy Brice who set her time at the East District Time Trials in October 2016. The time now required is that of Sadie.

Sadie also recorded PBs in 6 out of her remaining swims but is still a bit away from the rankings,

Cain Gray, 8 years male, was 4th in the 100m individual medley and 6th in the 50m butterfly. Cain’s 50m butterfly was his 1st swim in the event and he recorded a PB in 100m individual medley

Mark Sinilov, 12 years male, was 5th in the 100m butterfly, 7th in the 100m breaststroke, 8th in th 50m butterfly, 10th in both the 50m backstroke and 50m freestyle, and 14th in the 100m freestyle.

Mark’s 100m butterfly was a 1st time swim in the event and he recorded good PBs in four of his remaining swims.

Summer Ramshaw, !3 years female, was 6th in the 100m breaststroke, 7th in the 100m individual medley, 8th in both the 50m butterfly and 200m individual medley, and 13th in the 200m backstroke

Summer’s 200m individual medley and 200m backstroke were 1st time swims in the events and her remaining three swims all produced PBs.

Chelsea Walker, 12 years female, was 8th in the 50m freestyle, 10th in the 200m backstroke, 14th in the 100m butterfly, 15th in the 200m individual medley, and 16th in the 100m freestyle.

Chelsea recorded the largest PB of18.42 seconds in her 200m backstroke. Her 100m butterfly was a 1st time swim in the event and she recorded on other PB.

Elizabeth Janovska, 11 years female, was 12th in both the 100m individual medley and100m backstroke, and 14th in the 50m butterfly.

Elizabeth’s 100m individual medley was 1st time swim in the event and one of her remaining two swims produced a PB.

Kaja Debska, 14 years female, was 15th in the 50m breaststroke and 17th in the 100m freestyle. Kaja’s 100m freestyle was a 1st time swim in the event.

Lacey Barrett, 13 years female, was 16th in the 50m backstroke, and 17th in the 1oom freestyle. Lacey’s 100m freestyle produced the 4th largest PB of 6.82 seconds, and her 50m backstroke also resulted in a PB.

Olivia Bak, 13 years female, was 17th in both the 100m individual medley and 100m backstroke, 22nd in the 50m backstroke, 24th in the 60m butterfly, and 27th in both the50m and 100m freestyle.

Olivia’s 100m individual medley was a 1st time swim in the event, and she recorded PBs in four of her remaining swims.

Chloe Arnold 13 years female was 20th in the 50m breaststroke and 27th in the 50m butterfly.

Chloe’s 50m butterfly was a 1st time swim in the event and she recorded a PB in her 50m breaststroke.

Grace Pereira, 13 years female, was 26th in the 50m backstroke and 31st in the 50m freestyle.

Eilidh Needham, 12 years female, was 27th in the 100m backstroke, 29th in the 100m breaststroke, and 31st in the 100m freestyle.

In her 100m freestyle Eilidh recorded the 6th largest PB of 5.42 seconds and one of her remaining two swims also produced a PB.

Well done again to all the swimmers involved. Things are certainly moving in the right direction and hopefully will continue to do so,

Ken White

Press Officer