Lakelanders Junior Autumn Gala Proves a Big Hit
04 Mar 2020
Enniskillen Lakelanders Swimming Club continued their series of Junior swimming events last Sunday 29th September when local Fermanagh athletes were joined by swimmers from 9 different Ulster clubs for the Lakelanders 1st competitive Gala event of the 2019/20 swimming season. Indeed for many of the 7-12 yr olds taking part, this would be their first competitive swimming event ever.
The emphasis for these events is about showing beginners and younger swimmers the fun of competing in a swimming gala in a safe and friendly environment and the Lakelanders were grateful for the support received from Fermanagh & Omagh Council to help make the event possible.
Swim Ireland referee Lars Beheme from Cavan kicked of proceedings at just after 9.30am with the 25m backstroke and immediately the local swimmers got off to a fantastic start with 14 medals, Gold medals for Hannah Lynch(10), Ashling Man (12), Sam Curran (8), Michael McGowan (10), James Mongan (12), Silver medals for Muireann Cassidy (7), Eloise Boyd (11), Adam Forster (10), Darren Woods (12), Bronze medals for Sarah Speer (10), Alisha Farry (12), Luke Lannon (9), Patrick Toal (10), Conal Walker (11).
The next event was the 50m butterfly and the young Lakelanders continued to impress with Gold medals for Hannah Lynch (10), Molly Rice (12) with Silver medals secured by Michael McGowan (10), Oliver Money (11), Hayden James (12) and Bronze medals for Kate McDade (11), Luke Lannon (9).
The Lakelanders continued to shine in the 25m breaststroke event with another medal haul with Gold medals for Muireann Cassidy (7), Emma Speer (8), Hannah Lynch (10), Sam Curran (8), Michael McGowan (10), Oliver Mooney (11), James Mongan (12). Silver medals for Alisha Farry (12), Conal Walker (11), Ryan McGowan (12). Bronze medals were won by Sarah Speer (10), Ashling Man (12), Luke Lannon, Adam Forster (10), Nathan Pacha (12).
The popular 50m Freestyle saw Gold medals for Hannah Lynch, Anna Cairns (12), Michael McGowan, Silver medals for Molly Rice, Luke Lannon, Hayden James (12) and a bronze medal for Adam Forster.
The 25m Butterfly event saw Gold medals for Alisha Farry, Michael McGowan, Oliver Mooney, Darren Woods, Silver medals for Hannah Lynch, Eloise Boyd, James Mongan, with Emma Speer, Adam Forster picking up the Bronze medals.
The 50m Backstroke saw Gold medals for Hannah Lynch, Michael McGowan, Silver medals for Emma Speer, Anna Cairns and Bronze medals for Kate McDade (11), Molly Rice, Hayden James.
The 25m Freestyle saw Gold medals for Muireann Cassidy (7), Michael McGowan, Hayden James, Silver medals for Hannah Lynch, Ashling Man, Adam Forster, Conal Walker (11), James Mongan, Bronze medals for Emma Speer, Alisha Farry, Patrick Toal, Rory Aiken (11)
The 50m Breaststroke was a very successful event for the young Lakelanders with Gold medals for Sam Curran, Silver medals for Emma Speer, Anna Cairns, Michael McGowan, Oliver Mooney and Bronze medals for Hannah Lynch, Kate McDade, Luke Lannon, Kyle James (10), Conal Walker (11).
The final individual race of the day - the 100m IM, saw Gold medals for Anna Cairns, Silver for Hannah Lynch , Molly Rice, Luke Lannon, Michael McGowan and Bronze for Ryan Mongan, Adam Forster and Hayden James. This brought the Lakelanders medal tally to an amazing 89 individual medals over the short mornings swimming!
The Girls 100m 7-10 year old Freestyle relay saw the local team of Sophie Cathcart, Erin Farry, Hannah Lynch and Sarah Speer claim the Bronze medals. The team of Niamh Ahern, Muireann Cassidy, Madeleine Curran and Beth Jones swam well to finish in fourth place, while the team of Aiobheann McCarney, Ava Neal, Lucy Rice and Emma Speer finished in Fifth place. For the older Girls (11-12) the team of Eloise Boyd, Anna Cairns, Alisha Farry and Ashling Man had a close battle with Swilly Seals securing the bronze medals.
The Boys 100m (7-10) Freestyle relay saw our team of Josh Cassidy, Sam Curran Luke Lannon and Adam Forster win the Silver medals, with the team of Pacha Pranay, Harry Welsh, Ryan Mongan and Kyle James secure the bronze medals. For the 11-12 year old boys we had gold medals for the team of Rory Aiken, Oliver Mooney, Ryan McGowan and Hayden James, followed by the team of Ryan Aiken, Nathan Pacha, Austin Cassidy and Darren Woods claiming the silver medals.
The Girls 100 (7-10) Medley relay saw the team of Hannah Lunch, Sophie Cathcart, Sarah Speer and Erin Farry claim the Gold medals, with the team of Niamh Ahern, Muireann Cassidy, Beth Jones and Cara Trainor take the silver medals with a very close finish between the team of Emma Speer, Lucy Rice, Ava Neal and Aiobheann McCarney finishing in third for the Bronze medals. The older girls (11-12) also claimed the gold medal with the team of Kate McDade, Cora McConnell, Molly Rice and Saoirse McGovern producing strong swims, with the team of Eloise Boyd, Hannah Beacom, Anna Cairns and Ashling Man taking the Bronze medals home.
The boys 100 (7-10) Medley relay saw the team of Luke Lannon, Adam Forster, Patrick Toal and Austin Cassidy take the gold medals with Harry Welsh, Ryan Mongan, Michael McGowan and Kyle James swimming well to take home the Silver medals. For the 11-12 year old boys the team of James Mongan, Ryan McGowan, Hayden James and Conal Walker secured the Gold medals finishing just ahead of the Lakelanders team of Oliver Mooney, Ryan Aiken, Darren Woods and Austin Cassidy in second place taking home the Silver medals.
The mixed medley relay produced some excellent swims with our 7-10 year old team of Luke Lannon, Adam Forster, Beth Jones and Cara Trainor taking the Gold medals, closely followed by the team of Sophie Cathcart, Sarah Speer, Michael McGowan and Kyle James securing the silver medals. The team of Patrick Toal, Emma Speer, Hannah Lynch and Ryan Mongan swam well to finish in 3rd place securing the bronze medals. In the 11-12 year old category the team of Eloise Boyd, Oliver Mooney, Molly Rice and Hayden James enjoyed a very close race with swimmers from Breifne but emerged Victorious claiming the Gold medals!
Special mention goes to Niamh Ahern, Sophie Cathcart, Sam Curran, Ashling Man, Nathan Pacha, Pranay Pacha and Conal Walker for whom this was their first taste of competitive swimming.
After 3 hours with 106 heats and 568 individual races, the event drew to a close with tired but exhilarated youngsters, proud of their medals and their swimming. Lakelanders Gala Secretary Noel Mc Manus, paid tribute to the 35+ parents and senior swimmers who volunteered their time to help run the event saying, 'this was a fantastic start to the season for our younger swimmers and it could not happen without the support the club receives from our parent volunteers. I have no doubt events such as this are pivotal in launching the competitive careers of some future Fermanagh swimming stars'.
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