Swimming:
Novices impress at home event

A BUSY weekend for Rugby Swimming Club saw them host a Novice Gala on Saturday before 30 swimmers attended an all-day swimming camp on Sunday.

Novice Galas are always a challenge for all involved, as the name suggests, for many this is their first foray into the world of competitive swimming, which creates some very interesting logistical challenges for all.

The novices ranged from eight to 11, some of the older swimmers doing different events to their normal, and many of the younger ones racing for the very first time.

There is a lower time limit for every event and as such if a swimmer goes faster they record a time but no points.

Coventry won more than half the races but actually finished last on points, as many of their swimmers fell foul of this rule. Rugby finished second on points, but also had several no-pointers, which is promising in terms of times for future events.

Event winners were Caitlyn Henden, Daniel Carey, Holly Farnden, Belema Sikabfori, Luke Anspoks, Toby Rigg and Charlotte O’Brien, some more than once. Those who won, but were then discounted, Jessica Mackenzie, Harriet Troupe, Cerys James, Luke A, Toby R, and Emma Hyland.

On a positive note, the relays only saw one disqualification for a takeover infringement, as Rugby came second or third in virtually all of them, behind Coventry, as the relays were not subject to the same time limits.

Hemesh and Devesh Chohan took a group of over 30 swimmers to Repton school for a training camp with Mel Marshall.

Mel is GB’s most successful swimmer at the Commonwealth Games, as well as a double Olympian.

The day included two two-hour swimming sessions, as well as two hours of land training and a classroom based session.

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