Twelve Fins’ swimmers made the trip to the other side of the Forth, last weekend, to compete in the East Lothian Swim Team’s Age Group Meet, at the Mercat Gait Centre, Prestonpans. Overall it was a successful meet for the swimmers and although the improvement rate was down on previous meets at 79% it does not give the full picture. The swimmers competed in 61 swims and three of the thirteen swims that did not produce a PB still won the event and five were within half a second of their PB. All swimmers achieved at least one PB and the accompanying statistics were that they achieved 12 gold, 5 silver, and 4 bronze medals plus a further 22 top 10 placings, in which was a well supported meet.

Fins’ top swimmer with 6 gold medals was Ethan Pate, 10/11 boys, and they came in the 50m and 100m breaststroke; 50m and 100m butterfly; 100m freestyle; and 200m individual medley. In fact Nathan won medals in all nine of his swims with a further 3 bronze medals in the 50m backstroke; 50m freestyle and 100m individual medley.

Another young man who won medals in all of his seven swims, also in the 10/11 boys age group, was Caleb Gray. Three of his medals were gold from the 200m butterfly; 200m backstroke; and 400m freestyle; and his remaining 4 medals were all silver, coming in the 100m breaststroke; 100m freestyle; 100m backstroke and 200m individual medley.

The remaining three gold medals were won by three different swimmers but quite an achievement for Lilian Blair, who was swimming in the girls 10/11 age group but is in the lower age in the group. Lilian’s gold came in the 50m breaststroke, and she also won two bronze medals in the 50m backstroke and 100m breaststroke. She competed in a total of nine swims and her remaining results were – 4th in both the 100m backstroke and 100m butterfly; 5th in both the 50m freestyle and 100m individual medley; 10th – 100m freestyle; and 12th – 50m butterfly.

Adam Selbie, 12/13 boys, was also in the lower half of the two year age group and won a gold and a bronze medal. The gold was in the 50m breaststroke and the bronze in the 50m butterfly. Adam had a further six swims with the following placings – 5th – 50m freestyle; 6th in both the 50m backstroke and 100m breaststroke; 9th – 200m freestyle; 11th – 100m butterfly; and 12th – 100m freestyle.

The remaining medal, a silver’ was won by Steven Pate, 14/15 boys, in the 50m breaststroke. Steven also finished 11th in the 200m freestyle.

The results from the remaining six swimmers were –

Eva Watson, 10/11 girls, 4th – 200m freestyle; 5th – 200m backstroke; 9th – 100m freestyle; and 11th – 50m butterfly.

Sadie Paton, 10/11 girls, 8th – 200m freestyle; 10th – 50m breaststroke; and 22nd – 100m freestyle.

Medeea-Miriam Gorea, 12/13 girls, 8th – 400m freestyle; 14th – 200m breaststroke; 20th in both the 100m butterfly and 200m individual medley; 21st – 200m freestyle and 25th – 100m freestyle.

Charlotte Wardlaw,14/15 girls, 9th – 200m breaststroke; 11th – 200m freestyle; 15th in both the 100m breaststroke and 200m backstroke.

Abby Morris, 14/15 girls, 14th – 200m breaststroke

Wiktor Bak, 12/13 boys, 18th – 100m breaststroke.

The top four improvements at the weekend came from –

Irys, who improved her 200m freestyle time by 10.73 seconds.

Caleb, who reduced his 100m breaststroke time by 9.51 seconds.

Eva, who bettered her previous time for the 200m freestyle by 8.53 seconds, and

Ethan, who reduced his 200m individual medley time by 8.36 seconds.

Well done to all 12 swimmers.