Enniskillen Lakelanders Sparkle at National Championships
14 Jul 2024
Enniskillen Lakelanders Sparkle at National Championships
Enniskillen Lakelanders Swimming Club were well represented on the National stage at the 2024 Irish Age Group National Championships at the University of Limerick Sports Arena last week. Five young Lakelanders’ swimmers joined almost 700 swimmers from 100 clubs competing over four days of exciting competition.
Sophie Hanna (12) was delighted to qualify in the 50m Freestyle for her first National Competition and was thrilled to pick up a new PB in the event, taking 1.04 seconds off her entry time which moved her up the final ranking by ten spots. A great experience for Sophie to take into next season.
Martha Mc Creesh (13) qualified for four events and really enjoyed her second trip to Irish Summer Nationals. Martha competed in all four strokes showing her versatility and had great swims over the competition. Martha was delighted with PB’s in her 100m Breaststroke, 100m Backstroke and swam strongly in her 100m Butterfly and Freestyle.
The youngest Lakelander to compete was Crea Mullen (12) who competed in three events and thoroughly enjoyed her first experience at nationals. Crea secured PBs in both the 50m and 100m Freestyle races. The highlight of the week for Crea was gaining a place in the 100m Backstroke final where she finished 8th in Ireland. Crea was delighted to receive a Swim Ireland award for her 100m Backstroke time and will now carry this valuable experience into the new season ahead.
Ava Neal (14) was thrilled to have successfully qualified for 6 races at Irish National Age Group Championships 2024 .
Ava swam brilliantly & with super technique in the 50m,100m, 200m Freestyle, 100m & 200m Breaststroke & 200m Individual Medley. Ava achieved some great PB’s throughout & was delighted to be awarded a special Swim Ireland Certificate for the highest improvement points in her age group in the 200m Individual Medley where she shaved a massive 4.37 seconds off her PB.
Emma Speer (13), qualified for 3 events over the 4 days. Emma was on the National stage for the second year and had a fantastic Championship. Day one saw Emma take a second off her PB in the 100m Breaststroke finishing in the top thirty in her age group. Emma saw further success on day two as she peeled a magnificent 11 seconds off her PB in the 200m Individual Medley, moving her up the rankings by forty spaces into the top thirty. She also received a Swim Ireland certificate in recognition of her time improvement. Day three was the highlight for Emma; she had another fantastic swim in the 200m Breaststroke where she took 4 seconds off her entry time and achieved a Dave McCullough qualification time and a spot in the finals where she was placed 17th in Ireland. A great championship for Emma as she looks forward to next season.
Head Coach Ben Wiffen praised the swimmers’ efforts over the 4-day meet stating ‘This Championships has been a fantastic event for our club swimmers with a great atmosphere. I would encourage anyone who qualifies to attend this event in future years. Our swimmers have performed extremely well over the meet, focusing on improving their racing strategy and gaining great race experience, qualifying for finals and taking home several improvement recognition certificates.'
Club Chairperson Aideen Speer said ‘These swimmers have been training hard over the season and their success is testament to their dedication in the pool. All the swimmers and their families are also grateful to our main club sponsors the Lough Erne Resort and all the businesses that have helped us throughout the year. Special thanks is reserved for Enniskillen Lakelanders’ Head Coach Ben Wiffen for his hard work with the swimmers throughout the season and during the 4 days of the event.’
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The Lakelanders squad rose to the occasion, relishing the opportunity to race against strong provincial competition while aiming for personal best performances. - 26 Jan 2026Lakelanders Secure Medals & PBs at Swim Ulster Open Meet in Bangor
6 Enniskillen Lakelanders’ swimmers competed at Swim Ulster’s Open Long Course Meet at the Aurora Aquatic & Leisure Complex in Bangor on the 24 & 25th January. Swimmers from clubs all over Ireland attended this exciting start to the Long Course season and the Lakelanders were eager to race their fellow athletes in the fabulous 10 lane 50m pool at the Aurora. - 07 Dec 2025Lakelanders’ future challengers deliver strong swims in Omagh
A strong squad of Lakelanders junior swimmers took part in Swim Ulster Future Challengers Meet 2 at Omagh Leisure Centre on Saturday.
Coach Chelsey Weir was there to support the young swimmers who brought home a substantial haul of medal award pins and a raft of new personal times. - 07 Dec 2025Success for Lakelanders at Sliabh Beagh Winter Gala
6 Enniskillen Lakelanders’ swimmers made the journey to the Coral Leisure Centre Monaghan for Sliabh Beagh Swimming Club’s Winter Cluster Meet on 6th & 7th December. - 30 Nov 2025Lakelanders Swimmers Shine for their schools at Ulster Schools Championships
Swim Ulster Primary Schools Cup and Championship was held at the Aurora Aquatic & Leisure Complex, Bangor on Saturday 29th November 2025. Excited for this opportunity to represent their schools, 22 swimmers across 10 local schools headed to Bangor determined to do the South-West proud and qualify for the All-Ireland Championships held in Dublin in March. Although a school competition, all the students attending are committed members of the Enniskillen Lakelanders swimming club and mustered all their skills and training in competing against the best swimmers from schools across Ulster. A successful day saw 4 podium finishes and an amazing number of swimmers qualify for the All-Ireland primary school championship to be held at the National Aquatic Centre Dublin next year. - 10 Nov 2025Lakelanders push for top performances at Dungannon’s 40th Anniversary Gala
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All the work so far on skills and technique resulted in a slew of Swim Ulster Awards, personal bests and many top ten finishes for the Enniskillen Lakelanders.
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