Enniskillen Lakelanders Aquasprint Squad defeat Mid Ulster in Round 3

The Enniskillen Lakelanders took on Mid Ulster Club at Greenvale Leisure Centre, Magherafelt on Saturday 13^th April in the third round of the Aquasprint League. The League, sponsored by Forest Feast, is a starting point for the younger swimmers with opportunities to compete in all strokes in individual and relay races over 25m. Fifty-five of the younger Lakelanders swimmers born between 2016 and 2011 took to the pool in the hope of building on their first and second round wins.

The gala opened with Medley Relays (Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly & Freestyle) and first up for Lakelanders was Group A of Joseph McKenna,  Jakub Mikievicz Lumayad, Niamh Howell and Molly Kate Brewster who hit the wall first to the cheer of the Fermanagh crowd. Group B of Clara Leonard, Tori Veitch, James McSorley and Michael Carron and Group C of Crea Mullen, Emmett Coyle, Sophie Hanna and Daire Burke and Group D of Martha McCreesh, Emma Speer, Darragh Collins and Mirko Mann also hit first spot to win their age group events. The Lakelanders squad were eight points ahead after the first event.

Next were the individual events which began with the Backstroke which brought lots of 1st and 2nd spots for the Enniskillen side including 1^st places for Mollie Kate Brewster, Jakub Mikievicz Lumayad, Michael Carron,  Crea Mullen and Martha Mc Creesh. There were 2^nd places for Niamh Howell, Maeve Rolston McAuliffe and James McSorley. There were also great swims by Ella Rose Carron, Finn Coyle, Charlie Brewster,  Conor Collins, April Huang, Clara Leonard, Tori Veitch, Joshua Hill, Crea Mullen, Katie McGowan, Emmett Coyle, Martha McCreesh, Myleene Leonard, Darragh Collins and Mirko Mann. After a successful Backstroke round the Lakelanders led by sixteen points.

Breaststroke was next, a stroke in which the Lakelanders usually dominate and they didn’t disappoint with the top spots secured by Niamh Howell, Jakub Mikievicz Lumayad, Emmett Coyle and Martha McCreesh. Mollie Kate Brewster, Joseph McKenna, Clara Leonard, Michael Carron, Keira Salcedo, Daire Burke, Emma Speer and Darragh Collins took second spots. There was also point scoring by Maria Clifford, Finn Coyle, Natalie Swidani, Kaelan Rice, Maddie Maguire, Charles Armstrong and Holly Barkley. Following the Backstroke round the Lakelanders had stretched their lead further and the score was 114 to 86.

The Butterfly stroke is one of the most difficult swimming strokes and the young Lakelanders have been making steady progress ensuring first spots were claimed by Mollie Kate Brewster, Jakub Mikievicz Lumayad, Michael Carron and Martha McCreesh. Second spots went to Niamh Howell, Crea Mullen and Darragh Collins. There were also great swims by Maia Rolston McAuliffe, Conor Collins, Joseph McKenna, April Huang, Clara Leonard, Natalie Swidani, James McSorley, Sophie Hanna, Keira Salcedo, Daire Burke, Charles Armstrong, Emmett Coyle, Myleene Leonard, Maeve Rolston McAuliffe and Haralds Uzulins. Mid Ulster took the butterfly round but the Lakelanders held their lead by 26 points heading into the Freestyle round.

The last individual event was the Front Crawl where the Lakelanders swam really well again with Jakub Mikievicz Lumayad, Martha McCreesh and Darragh Collins securing the top spots. Seconds were collected by Niamh Howell, Michael Carron, Sophie Hanna and Myleene Leonard.  Unknown to the young Enniskillen Lakelanders they we leading by twenty-two points heading into the Freestyle relays.

The final event of the day had everyone cheering on the Lakelanders as they won two out of the four freestyle relays leaving the away team awaiting the final results which brought the joyous news of a win overall for the Enniskillen Lakelanders.

On the day Lakelanders had fifty-five swimmers, a clear sign of  the popularity of swimming in Fermanagh and there was lots of great competitive swimming opportunities on the day for new and less experienced swimmers in the relay teams. These children are progressing so well, with some only in the club a few months, these included Emily Irvine, Tara Collins, Imogen Neal, Charlie Brewster, Domhall Burke, Daithi Owens, Tadhg Murphy, Maria Clifford, Tara Collins, Elin O’Donohue, Maddie Maguire, Mavis Mann, Ciara Kennedy, Tiana Mbeulina, Erin Quigley,  Anna May Hill, Luna Murphy, Alfie Miller, Holly McCabe, Ella Neal, Haralds Uzulins and Leah Bannon. They all did themselves proud and by the smiles on their faces really enjoyed the event.

The MVS (Most Valuable Swimmer) awards for the Lakelanders went to Jakub Mikievicz Lumayad and Martha McCreesh who each secured four firsts in their individual events and were also each on two winning relay teams.

Following speeches from the team Captains of Martha McCreesh and Darragh Collins,  the final result was announced; Enniskillen Lakelanders 211 and Mid Ulster 189.

Team Gala Co-ordinator and Club Chairperson Aideen Speer was extremely proud of all the swimmers and of their individual achievement as were their families.

The success of the swimmers and the smooth running of the event was a credit to the parent volunteers who were ably assisted by a team of senior swimmers, all supporting the stellar work of the coaching team led by Ben Wiffen and Clare Morris. The club express their gratitude to Lough Erne Resort and Western Cars Enniskillen for their continued support.

The young Lakelanders will now set their sights on an exciting Spring Junior Gala at the Lakeland Forum Enniskillen on 28^th April before they face Larne SC in the 4^th Round of the Aqausprint League on 11^th May.

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