27 Oct 2025

Enniskillen Lakelanders host their first Gala at their new base at Omagh Leisure Centre

_{Photo Credits: Cara O'Donohue & Karina Mikievicz Lumayad}

Enniskillen Lakelanders Swimming Club held their Autumn Junior Gala on Sunday 26^th October, an event aimed at younger swimmers. This was the club’s first Gala in their new temporary base at Omagh Leisure Centre and there was much excitement among the swimmers from the outset with 37 swimmers from Enniskillen Lakelanders taking part. They were joined by competitors from nine 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.

Swim Ireland referee Lars Behme oversaw 725 entries from the 185 excited swimmers in attendance. Lars was supported by a strong group of over 30 parents and older swimmers volunteering from the Lakelanders club which helped ensure that the busy gala ran smoothly. It was a very 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 large haul of medals and an abundance of PBs on the day.

Gold medals were achieved by Mollie Kate Brewster in 50m Backstroke, Breaststroke, Freestyle, Butterfly and 100m Individual Medley, Holly Barkley in 100m  Breaststroke and 100m Freestyle, April Huang in the 50m Freestyle, Ella Neal in the 50 and 100m Freestyle and  Maia Rolston- McAuliffe in the 50m Backstroke. For the boys Jakub Mikievicz Lumayad swept the board taking in 50m Backstroke, Butterfly, Breaststroke, Freestyle and the 100m Individual Medley and not to be outdone Darragh Collins took gold in four events also in 100m Backstroke, 50m and 100m  Breaststroke and 100 Individual Medley. James Mc Sorley was delighted with gold in the 50m Freestyle and Ollie Elliott took his first gold at an open gala in the 50m Breaststroke. In total the Lakelanders picked up 20 Gold Medals.

The medals continued to flow with silvers awarded to Holly Barkley in the 50m Butterfly and 100m Individual Medley, Lauren Loizides in the 50 butterfly, Ella Neal in the Natalie Swidani in the 100m Freestyle and 100m Breaststroke. For the boys silvers were awarded to Charlie Brewster and Darragh Collins in the 50m Butterfly and Ollie Elliott in the 50m Backstroke and 50 Freestyle, with Haralds Uzulins also securing silver in the 50m Breaststroke. A wonderful 13 silver medals for the Lakelanders.  

There were also bronze medals for Maia Rolston McAuliffe, Mollie Kate Brewster, Natalie Swidani and Lauren Loizides. There were lots of bronze medals for the boys also - James McSorley (2) , Haralds Uzulins, Eoghan Donnelly, Finley Walker- Leonard, Charles Armstrong, and Anton Neal (2).

Club PRO Janette Mongan 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 Omagh Leisure Centre for facilitating the event. The club are indebted to the generous support provided by local businesses- EVChargers Ireland, R2 Motor Repairs, Encirc, Mannok, SCH Construction Ltd, Balcas, Cadden Group. Enniskillen Hi Phone, Dan McNulty, Macneary Rasdale & Co, Western Cars & Lough Erne Resort. We are also very grateful to all parents who donated and sourced the raffle prizes and donations to our gala cafe.

Janette praised Aideen Speer, gala secretary, for her trojan work behind the scenes ensuring the smooth running of the gala. She also thanked Head Coach Fionna Orr and Coach Chelsey Weir 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.

As a club we face challenging times ahead to secure the future of the club during the upheaval of moving our training sessions to Omagh. We ask for your continued support so that all the hard work over the years from the committee members, coaching staff and parents to build up the success that the club is today and can continue during these challenging years ahead.

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