Fife Leagues – Round 2, 24 March 2024

Fins had a total of 36 swimmers at the Michael Woods Centre, Glenrothes on Sunday 24 March 2024 for the second round of the Fife League and Fife Novice League and although the improvement rate was down a bit in both leagues, the swimmers did well, with some excellent performances, including a new club record. There were also three new entries to the all-time rankings plus six improvements.

 

In the league Fins had 25 swimmers in action contesting 50 swims, which produced 30 PBs, 16 – 1^st, 7 – 2^nd, and 10 – 3^rd placings, with 12 of the 50 swimmers achieving a win, and a further 8 swimmers gaining a second or third place. All 50 swims achieved a 9^th place or better.

 

Top swimmer for Fins was Erin Taylor, 15/O girls, who won both the 100m breaststroke and 200m butterfly, but it was the butterfly where she excelled, recording a 3.06 second PB and a time of 2 minutes 21.19 seconds, which sets a new club record by 0.40 seconds. The previous record was held by former Scottish Senior International Swimmer, Carole Lewis, set at Carnegie Pool in December 1985, not quite the oldest record still to be beaten, but not far off it.

So, this moves Erin from 2^nd place in the all-time top 50 Fins rankings to number one. It also moves Erin up to 9^th place overall in the Scottish Open rankings.

 

Another excellent swim, with a 10.90 second PB, and a time of 2 minutes 43.31 seconds, again in the 200m butterfly, came from Ethan Pate, 13 years boys.

This moves Ethan from 41^st to 35^th in the Fins rankings, but also moves him to 2^nd place in the 13 years male Scottish short course rankings.

Ethan was also 3^rd in the 100m freestyle.

 

The next highest placed ranking, after Erin, was achieved by Kristin Mackay, 15/O girls, when she recorded a 4.36 second PB to win the 200m breaststroke, in a time of 2 minutes 52.96 seconds, which moves her from 20^th to 9^th place.

This time places Kristin in 15^th place in the 16 years female Scottish short course rankings. Another 4 second PB would move her up to 6^th place.

Kristin was one of four double winners as she also finished in 1^st place in the 100m butterfly.

 

Irys Blair, 14 girls, won the 100m backstroke, with a 2.76 second PB, which moves her from 48^th place to 30^th place in Fins rankings. It also puts Irys in 18^th place in the 14 years female rankings, but another 2 second PB would move her up to 8^th place.

Irys also finished 4^th in the 50m freestyle and a 0.15 second PB means she enters the Fins rankings in 49^th place, which in turn means that we lose Heidi Mellon who set her time at the Fife Leagues in June 2023. The time now required to enter the rankings is 30.91 seconds.

 

Adam Selbie, 14 boys, won the 200m freestyle, recording a 9,52 second PB, with a time of 2 minutes 9.52 seconds which in turn ranks him 4^th in the 14 years male Scottish rankings, and he also enters the Fins rankings in 42^nd place. In the case the swimmer to drop out is Callum Smith who set his time at the INCAS Distance Meet in May 2012. The time now required for entry is 2 minutes 11.13 seconds.

Adam also finished 2^nd in the 50m backstroke with a 1.96 second PB which moves him up the Fins ranking from 50^th to 36^th.

 

Jennifer Gordon, 15/O girls, improved her ranking position in one event and had an entry in another. Jennifer moved from 38^th to 26^th in the 50m butterfly with a 0.62 second PB, and she entered the rankings in the 200m backstroke in 48^th place, with a 3.12 second PB. Moving out this time is Leeanne Sinclair, who set her time at Kirkcaldy in April 1995.

 

Staying with improvements the top two PBs recorded came from the younger swimmers.

 

Grace Mills, 8 to 12 girls, reduced her 50m butterfly by 13.97 seconds, winning the event. Grace also finished 10^th in her first attempt at the 200m freestyle.

 

Summer Ramshaw, 8 to 12 girls, reduced her 100m freestyle time by 8.66 seconds where she finished in 6^th place. However, Summer won the 50m breaststroke.

 

In terms of achievement, there were two double winners, in addition to those mentioned above, and they were Cole Gray, 8 to 12 boys, who won both the 50m backstroke and 100m freestyle, and Lilian Blair, 8 to 12 girls, who won both the 200m individual medley and the 50m freestyle.

 

There were also a further three swimmers who gained a first place, namely:

Zeteny Nagy, 13/14 boys, who won the 50m freestyle, and was also 2^nd in the 200m individual medley.

Millie Whytock, 8 to 12 girls, who won the 100m backstroke, and was 3^rd in the 200m freestyle, and

Caleb Gray, 13/14 boys who won the 200m individual medley, and was 5^th in the 100m freestyle.

 

Two swimmers, not mentioned above, gained a 2^nd place, and they were;

Charlotte Wardlaw, 15/O girls, who was 2^nd in the 200m breaststroke and 3^rd in the 100m backstroke, and

Blair Wardlaw, 15/O boys, who was 2^nd in the 100m backstroke and 3^rd in the 50m freestyle.

 

A further five swimmers gained a 3^rd place –

Bryony Smart, 8 to 12 girls, who was 3^rd in both the 50m and 200m backstroke.

Chelsea Walker, 8 to 12 girls, who was 3^rd in the 50m butterfly and 4^th in the 100m breaststroke.

Sadie Paton, 8 to 12 girls, who was 3^rd in the 100m freestyle and 4^th in the 50m backstroke.

Finnley McDonald,15/O boys, who was 3^rd in the 100m freestyle and 4^th in the 200m freestyle, and

Grace Wilson, 15/O girls, who was 3^rd in the 200m freestyle and 6^th in the 50m backstroke.

 

The remaining five swimmers finished as follows:

Eva Watson, 13/14 girls, 4^th – 200m individual medley; 7^th – 50m breaststroke.

Wiktor Bak, 15/O boys, 4^th – 100m breaststroke; 7^th – 50m backstroke.

Abby Morris, 15/O girls, 4^th – 100m butterfly, 9^th – 50m backstroke

Kimberley McCabe, 15/O girls, 6^th – 200m backstroke; 9^th – 100m freestyle.

Grant Wardlaw, 15/O boys, 8^th in both the 100m freestyle and 50m backstroke.

 

There were also three relay teams in action and in the 13/14 mixed 4 x 50m freestyle relay the team of Adam, Eva, Ethan, and Irys finished in third place.

 

In the 15/O mixed 4 x 50m freestyle relay the team of Blair, Grace, Finnley, and Erin wee 4^th, while a second team of Wiktor Jennifer, Grant, and Kristin were 7^th..

 

 

In the novice league eleven swimmers competed in 21 swims, which produced 18 PBs, resulting in four 1^st, three second, and three 3^rd placings, with the remaining swims producing a 12^th place or better.

 

The top novice swimmer, with two wins, was Elliot Blair, 8 to 10 boys who won both the 25m butterfly and 100m backstroke.

 

The other two winners were Antonia Adie, 8 to 10 girls, who won the 25m freestyle, and Charlie Jack, 8 to 10 boys who won the 50m breaststroke. Antonia also finished 2^nd in the 50m breaststroke and Charlie was 6^th in the 25m butterfly.

 

Lily-Mae McDonald, 8 to 10 girls, gained a 2^nd place in the 100m freestyle, and was third in the 50m backstroke, while Olivia Hathaway, 11/12 girls was 2^nd in the 25m freestyle and 12^th in the 50m backstroke.

 

The remaining two 3^rd places were achieved by Finlay Cunningham, 11/12 boys, in the 100m breaststroke, and Clare Thomson, 8 to 10 girls, in the 25m backstroke. Finlay also finished in 7^th place in the 50m backstroke, and Clare was 12^th in the 50m freestyle.

 

The remaining four swimmers finished as follows:

Leyton Neilson, 11/12 boys, was 4^th in both the 50m freestyle and 100m backstroke.

Olivia Bak, 11/12 girls, 6^th – 25m butterfly;7^th – 50m freestyle.

Lily Bonnar,11/12 girls, 6^th – 100m freestyle; 11^th – 50m backstroke, and

Eden Mackie, 11/12 girls, 7^th – 50m butterfly.

 

The novice swimmers also competed in two mixed 4 x 50m freestyle relays, with the 8 to 10 team of Elliot, Antonia, Charlie, and Lily-Mae finishing in 3^rd place, while the 11/12 team of Leyton, Lily, Finlay, and Eden were 4^th.

 

Another very encouraging day from all the swimmers.

Ken White

Club Press Officer