Enniskillen Lakelanders Host Junior Gala
12 Nov 2023
Enniskillen Lakelanders host their first Junior Gala of the Season
Thank you Mary Ann Salcedo for the photos :-)
Enniskillen Lakelanders Swimming Club held their first fundraising Gala of the season on Sunday 12th November, with an event aimed at younger swimmers. Joining competitors from the local club were 13 visiting clubs from around the Ulster region. For many of the 8-14-year-old competitors, this would be their first taste of individual competition, that all important first step for every sportsperson.
Swim Ireland referee Lars Beheme oversaw the 226 excited swimmers in attendance. Lars was supported by strong group of 50 parents and older swimmers volunteering from the Lakelanders club which helped ensure that the busy gala ran smoothly. It was a successful event for the Lakelanders raising much needed club funds and giving swimmers the chance to put their training into practise and show off their talents with a haul of 54 medals and over 100 PBs on the day.
Gold medals were achieved by Mollie Kate Brewster (8) 50m Breaststroke, Michael Carron (10) 50m Breaststroke, Darragh Collins (12) 50m Breaststroke, Sophie Hanna (11) 50m Backstroke, Jakub Mikiewicz Lumayad (9) 50m Backstroke, Butterfly, Breaststroke and Freestyle, Crea Mullen (11) 50m & 100m Freestyle, Ava Neal (13) 50m & 100m Breaststroke, 100m Backstroke, Erin Salcedo (13) 100m Freestyle, younger sister Keira Salcedo (11) 100m Breaststroke and Emma Speer (12) 50m Breaststroke.
The medals continued to flow with Silver positions awarded to Mollie Kate Brewster (8) 50m Freestyle, Butterfly & Backstroke, Daire Burke (11) 100m Breaststroke, Darragh Collins (12) 50m Freestyle & 100m Breaststroke, Emmett Coyle (11) 50m Breaststroke, Finn Coyle (8) 50m Backstroke & Freestyle, Lorcan Doherty (14) 100m Breaststroke, Sophie Hanna (11) 100m Backstroke, Nimah Howell (9) 50m Backstroke, 50m Butterfly, Myleene Leonard (12) 50m Freestyle, Tori Lilly (13) 50m Breaststroke, Martha McCreesh (12) 50m Butterfly, 100m Backstroke, Joseph McKenna (8) 50m Breaststroke, Anton Neal (12) 50m Breaststroke, Ava Neal (13) 100m Freestyle, Erin Salcedo (13) 50m Butterfly, 100m Backstroke, 50m Freestyle & 100m Breaststroke, Keira Salcedo (11) 50m Breaststroke, Emma Speer (12) 100m Breaststroke.
Bronze medals were secured by Enda Burke (13) 100m Freestyle & 50m Breaststroke, Michael Carron (10) 50m Backstroke, Josh Cassidy (13) 50m Backstroke, Emmett Coyle (11) 100m Breaststroke, Finn Coyle (8) 50m Breaststroke, Clara Leonard (10) 50m Backstroke & 50m Breaststroke, Martha McCreesh (12) 100m Freestyle, Russell Mikievicz Lumayad (13) 100m Backstroke, Ryan Mongan (13) 100m Breaststroke and Tori Reid (13) 100m Breaststroke.
Not only did the local swimmers top the board on the medals count but many impressed their coaches by their strong swimming and new PBs including Charles Armstrong (11), Holly Barkley (12), Shannon Brennan (12), Rebecca Curran (12), Anna May Hill (12), Katie James (13), Maddie Maguire (11), Gavin Man (12), Tiana Mbeulani (10), Holly McCabe (12), Olivia McCaffrey (13), Katie McGowan (11), James McSorley (10), Luna Murphy (12), Tadhg Murphy (12), Ella Neal (11), Kealan Rice (10), Maia Rolston-McAuliffe (12) & Finley Walker- Leonard (12).
A large number of our young swimmers were competing at an individual meet for the first time – some of whom have only joined the club in the past three weeks including Leah Bannon (11), Domhnall Burke (9), Ella Rose Carron (8), Maria Clifford (9), Conor Collins (10), Tara Collins (8), Rachel Curran (10), Joshua Hill (10), Orlaith Howell (8), April Huang (9), Emily Irvine (8), Ciara Kennedy (10), Ellie Kennedy (9), Elin O’Donohue (9), Daithi Owens (10), Erin Quigley (11), Natalie Swidani (10) and Tori Veitch (10).
Chairperson Aideen Speer expressed her thanks to a wide range of people who all came together to make the Junior gala a success - praising all club members for their help and support, events like these can only run with the help and hard work of the volunteers. Thanks are also expressed to the staff at the Fermanagh Lakeland Forum for facilitating our event. The club are indebted to the generous sponsorship provided by local businesses (FM Metals, Enniskillen Tyre Centre, Mullen Domestic, Campbell Contracts Ltd, Cassidy and McCreesh Orthodontic Practice, SCH Construction, Encirc and Lisdergan Butchery). We are also very grateful to all local businesses and parents who donated and sourced a large number of wonderful raffle prizes and donations to our gala cafe.
Aideen praised Michelle Reihill, gala secretary for her trojan work behind the scenes and for the smooth running of the gala. She also thanked all the coaching team made up of mostly volunteers for their commitment to all the swimmers. The support of the coaching team ensured we had a competitive event which was also an enjoyable learning experience for all. The Lakelanders Club endeavours to make swimming fun for everyone and that happened today, it was clear to see from all the smiling faces of our own swimmers and our visiting competitors. We now look forward with renewed confidence to a great year of swimming.
The Senior swimmers are in action next weekend with the Ulster Short Course Championships at Lagan Valley Leisureplex Lisburn, good luck to all our competitors.
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The Lakelanders rose to the occasion in style, returning home with an impressive haul of medals and personal bests (PBs), highlighting the hard work, determination, and commitment of these talented young athletes. - 06 Jun 2026Medals and PBs for Lakelanders at Banbridge Open
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A squad of 11 Enniskillen Lakelanders’ swimmers, along with Head Coach Fionna Orr, made their way to the fabulous South Lakes Leisure Centre long course (50m) swimming pool for the final club meet of the season for the older swimmers. This meet provided the final opportunity for competitive swimmers to qualify for Swim Ireland's Irish Summer National competitions. As a bonus Banbridge swimming club had extended their invitation to clubs from all over Ireland. The chance to achieve qualifying times and compete against the best in Ireland was too good to miss. - 31 May 2026Lakelanders' successful weekend in Bangor
Seven Enniskillen Lakelanders' swimmers travelled to the Aurora Complex in Bangor to race at the Ian Wright Memorial Gala at the weekend. - 03 May 2026An Ulster title, a slew of medals and PBs home to Enniskillen from Ulster Champs
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Enniskillen Lakelanders Swimming Club held their Spring Junior Gala on Sunday 26th April, an event aimed at younger swimmers. As the Lakelanders approach the first year complete at their temporary base at Omagh Leisure Centre and there was much excitement among the swimmers from the outset with 41 swimmers from Enniskillen Lakelanders taking part. They were joined by competitors from eleven other Ulster swimming clubs. For many of the 8-14 year-old competitors, this would be one their first experiences of individual competition, that all important first step for every sportsperson. - 19 Apr 2026Cracking Racing in Craigavon for Enniskillen Lakelanders' Swimmers
Portadown ASC and Lurgan ASC hosted the South Lake Open Meet 2026 at South Lake Leisure Centre, Craigavon on Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th April. A total of 26 Enniskillen Lakelanders’ swimmers competed over the two day meet.
Saturday morning saw fantastic swimming by 11 of our younger athletes competing in a range of 25m races in the short course format. Many PBs were smashed with the young Lakelanders doing their club proud in the pool. - 29 Mar 2026Enniskillen Lakelanders' swimmers clinch medals & top ten finishes for their sch
The Irish Minor Schools Championships 2026 took place on Sunday 29th March at the National Aquatic Centre, Dublin. 10 Enniskillen Lakelanders swimmers aged 12 and under made the journey, having qualified in November at the regional schools gala in Bangor and were high with excitement as they headed off to Dublin to do their schools proud on the National stage. - 22 Mar 2026Lakelanders Success at Future Challengers Gala in Lisburn
On Saturday 21st March, a group of 14 young swimmers from Enniskillen Lakelanders Swimming Club took part in Round 4 of the Swim Ulster Future Challengers Series, held at Lagan Valley Leisureplex in Lisburn. The competition drew over 450 swimmers between the ages of 10 and 14 from across Ulster.
Participants competed in a range of more demanding events, including Individual Medley (IM), Breaststroke, and Freestyle. The Lakelanders swimmers performed with determination throughout the meet, embracing the challenge of competing against a high standard of provincial opposition while striving to achieve personal best times. - 16 Mar 2026Lakelanders claim awards & PBs in Bangor
11 Enniskillen Lakelanders’ swimmers travelled to the Aurora Aquatic & Leisure Complex, Bangor to compete in Round 2 of Swim Ulster’s ‘Aspiring Champions’ Meet Series on 14th & 15th March. This spectacular 50m pool was the perfect venue for the many challenging events the Fermanagh swimmers were eager to dive into over the weekend. - 16 Feb 2026Lakelanders take the Lead in Lisburn
A squad of 33 Enniskillen Lakelanders’ swimmers attended the Swim Belfast Open Meet on Sunday the 15th of February in Lagan Valley Leisureplex, Lisburn. The gala was a great success for the Fermanagh swimmers who relished the opportunity to compete against swimmers from clubs across Ulster, Leinster & Connacht, returned home with numerous medals and personal best times.
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