Fins Competitive Swim Club

With the restrictions over the past two years, and swimmers not having up to date times, Fife Region Swimming held two time trials last Saturday at the Michael Woods Centre. A distance meet comprising 400m, 800m, and 1500m freestyle, plus a 400m individual medley, with the age based on 31 December 2022, plus a 12 and under meet comprising 50m and 100m in all four individual strokes, with the age based on date of meet.

Once again, Fins’ swimmers maintained their excellent start to 2022. Over the two meets, Fins achieved another club record, and from a total of 28 swims gained a total of 13 – 1st places; 5 – 2nd; 3 – 3rd, plus 7 other placings, with the lowest being 6th. More importantly the 28 swims produced 25 PBs, an improvement rate of 89%.

The top two performances came in the Distance Meet where Erin Taylor and Mark Scott won the 16/over girls’ and boys’ 1500m freestyle respectively. Both swimmers were competing in the event for the first time in open competition. Erin set a new club record time of 17 minutes 58.69 seconds, reducing the previous record by 34.76 seconds, which had been set in May 2016. This is Erin’s second club record in the past few weeks. She also won the 400m individual medley. Mark immediately moves into the overall club rankings in second place which in itself in no mean feat, as he displaces two former Scottish International swimmers, but his time of 16 minutes 51.80 seconds is 30.42 seconds behind another Scottish International and current head coach at Fins, Ian Lewis, who set the club record back in December 1985.

The other winner in the distance meet was Adam Selbie, 12/13 boys, again in the 1500m freestyle and a 3rd place went to Irys Blair, 12/13 girls, in the 800m Freestyle.

The younger swimmers also did exceptionally well, the top swimmer, with five first places, was Ethan Pate, 10 years boys. His wins came in the 100m of four individual strokes plus the 50m butterfly. Adam, 11 years boys’, had four first places in the 100m of all four individual strokes.

The other four younger swimmers all had a 2nd place and they were Ayva Mellon, 10 years girls, 2nd in both the 100m freestyle and 50mbackstroke; and 3rd – 100m breaststroke; Caleb Gray, 10 years boys, 2nd – 50m backstroke and 3rd – 100m breaststroke; Irys, 11 years girls, 2nd – 50m breaststroke, and finally Roman Johnston, 10 years boys, 2nd – 100m Breaststroke.

The most improved swimmers in the younger age group were Adam who reduced his 100m breaststroke by 20.65 seconds and his 100m backstroke by 10.00 seconds; and Caleb who reduced his 50m backstroke by 6.43 seconds.

 

Club Info.

The full club results were:

Distance meet

Erin – 16/0 girls, 1st – 1500m freestyle, 1st – 400m individual medley

Mark – 16/0 boys, 1st – 1500m freestyle

Adam – 12/13 boys, 1st – 1500m freestyle

Irys – 12/13 girls, 3rd – 800m freestyle

Heidi Mellon – 14/15 girls, 4th – 400m freestyle

Kimberley McCabe – 16/o girls, 6th – 800m freestyle

12/U meet

Ethan – 10 years boys, 1st – 100m butterfly; 1st – 100m backstroke; 1st – 100m breaststroke; 1st – 100m freestyle; and 1st – 50m butterfly

Adam – 11 years boys, 1st – 100m butterfly; 1st – 100m backstroke; 1st – 100m breaststroke; and 1st – 10m freestyle

Ayva – 10 years girls, 2nd – 100m freestyle; 2nd – 50m backstroke; 3rd – 100m breaststroke

Caleb – 10 years boys, 2nd – 50m backstroke; 3rd – 100m breaststroke; 4th – 100m freestyle; 4th – 50m butterfly.

Irys, 11 years girls, 2nd – 50m Breaststroke; 4th –100m freestyle; 5th – 100m breaststroke.

Roman, 10 years boys, 2nd – 100m breaststroke; 5th – 50m breaststroke

In terms of club rankings, we have seen that Erin takes over top spot, at her first attempt, from Claire Thomson in the 1500m freestyle, the previous record being set at the INCAS distance meet in May 2016.

Also, Mark who goes straight in at 2nd place in the 1500m rankings, displacing, among others, Martin Lee – former Scottish youth and GB Deaf international swimmer, at Carnegie in December 1985 and Paul Gallagher – former GB and Scottish senior international swimmer, at Carnegie in March 1995. It should be acknowledged that Paul was an international swimmer prior to joining Fins, although he was an international triathlete during his time at Fins.

Well done to Adam who enters the 1500m top 50 rankings in 33rd place and to Irys who enters the 800m freestyle top 50 in 44th place

The next closest to entering the rankings is again Irys who is just over 7 seconds away in her 100m backstroke.

Saturday’s results certainly indicate things are moving in the right direction, so keep listening to your coach’s feedback.