Twelve Fins’ swimmers were at the Michael Wood Centre, Glenrothes, for the final meet of the year, the Scottish East District Age Group Sprint Championships, where all events were contested over 50m. Fins’ swimmers had a very satisfactory meet resulting in one District Title, four silver and one bronze medals, and a further ten top 10 finishes.
Fins top swimmer was 15 year old Caitlyn Dodds, 17/O girls. Although the meet was held on 22 December Caitlyn will be 16 before the end of the year and, because the final two rounds of the Championships will take place in 2019, she is therefore classed as a 17 year old swimmer.
Caitlyn is the new Scottish East District 50m Backstroke Champion for 17/O girls. She also just missed out on the Butterfly and the Freestyle, winning silver medals in each, losing out to Eilidh Redpath, of Midlothian, in both – the Freestyle by just 0.54 seconds and the Butterfly by 1.31 seconds.
It was a first District medal for 12 year old Mark Scott, 13 years boys, when he won a silver medal in the Breaststroke with an impressive 5.05 second PB. Mark also won a bronze medal in the Butterfly with a 2.37 second PB, and was 5th in the Freestyle with a PB of 1.33 seconds.
The final medal was won by Arran Stowe, 17/O boys, when he won the silver medal in the 50m Breaststroke with a 1.09 second PB.
Three swimmers just missed out on a medal and they were:
Erin Taylor, 14 girls, who was 4th in the Breaststroke just 0.74 seconds behind Ines Donald of Inverleith. Erin was also 6th in the Butterfly and 1st Reserve for the final of the Freestyle.
Neža Dolenc Luznar, 15 girls, who was 4th in the Butterfly, and closest to a medal, finishing just five one hundredths of a second behind Iona Wilson of Musselburgh. Neža was also 8th in the Freestyle.
Theo Goodfellow, 17/O boys, who was 4th in the Breaststroke, 0.47 seconds behind Kacper Dluzak of Duns
Esme Lee, 13 girls was 6th in both the Butterfly and Backstroke.
Steven Hardie, 11/12 boys, swimming in his first District Championships did well to gain a 6th place in the Breaststroke.
The four remaining swimmers to qualify for the event but who finished outside the top 10 were Sophie Juskowiak (14), Eireann Comrie (16), Holly Armit (13), and Euan Pate (17/O).