Young Lakelanders Shine at Junior Gala 2019
27 May 2019
Enniskillen Lakelanders Swimming Club held their first Junior Gala took on Sunday 26th May, an event that was aimed at the younger swimmers from the local club and other clubs from around the Ulster region. For many of the 8-12 yr old competitors, this would be their first individual competition, that all important first step for every sportsperson. The Lakenders currently have 17 swimmers qualified Irish Div 1 & 2 and every one of those swimmers started at their first Junior gala, so for the swimmers and the club, Junior galas are very important events in developing the next generation of champions.
80 swimmers aged 8-12 attended the event which was overseen by Swim Ireland referee Lars Beheme from East Cavan Swimming Club, who in turn was supported by 35 parent volunteers from the local club. The First event of the day, the 25m backstroke, saw the Lakelanders get off to a fantastic start with 12 medals, Gold medals for Emma Speer (8), Ellie Dunlop (10), Adam Forster (10), Hayden James (12), Silver medals for Saoirse Mc Govern (12), Michael McGowan (10), Rory Aiken (11), Bronze medals for Beth Buchanan (9), Holly James (10) Luke Lannon (8), Ryan Aiken (11), Darren Woods (12).
The young Lakelanders continued to impress in the 50m butterfly with Gold for Ellie Dunlop (10) and Molly Rice (12) & Tom Buchanan (11) with Silver medals secured by Hannah Lynch (10), Shay McCarney (11), Darren Woods (12) and a Bronze medal for James Mongan (12).
The 25m breaststroke yielded Gold for Emma Speer (8), Ellie Dunlop (10), Michael McGowan (10), Oliver Mooney (11), and Hayden James (12). Silver medals for Sarah Speer (10), Hannah Beacom (11), Alisha Farry (12), Luke Lannon (9), Adam Forster (10) and Ryan Aiken (11). Bronze medals were won by Ava Neal (9), and Rory Aiken (11).
The popular 50m Freestyle saw Gold medals for Ellie Dunlop (10), Molly Rice (12), Luke Lannon (9), Michael McGowan (10), Tom Buchanan (11), Hayden James (12), Silver medals for Beth Buchanan (9), Adam Forster (10), Hannah Lynch (10), Oliver Mooney (11) and bronze medals for Beth Jones (9) and James Mongan (12).
The 25m Butterfly event saw Gold medals for Ellie Dunlop (10), Michael McGowan (10), Hayden James (12), Silver medals for Hannah Lynch (10), Saoirse McGovern (12),Darren Woods (12) and Adam Forster (10), with Alisha Farry (12) and Luke Lannon (9)picking up the Bronze medals.
The 50m Backstroke saw Gold medals for Emma Speer (8), Beth Buchanan (9), Ellie Dunlop (10), Luke Lannon (9), and Michael McGowan (10), Silver medals for Beth Jones (9), Shay McCarney (11), and Bronze medals for Hannah Lynch (10), Molly Rice (12), and Hayden James (12).
The 25m Freestyle saw Gold medals for Ellie Dunlop (10), Michael McGowan (10), Rory Aiken (11), and Hayden James (12), Silver medals for Hannah Lynch (10), Saoirse McGovern (12), Adam Forster (10), Bronze medals for Emma Speer (8), Beth Buchanan (9), Alisha Farry (12), and Luke Lannon (9).
The 50m Breaststroke was a very successful event for the young Lakelanders with Gold medals for Emma Speer (8), Beth Jones (9), Ellie Dunlop (10), Luke Lannon (9), Michael McGowan (10), Oliver Mooney (11), Silver medals for Madeline Curran (9), Adam Forster (10), Shay McCarney (11) and Bronze medals for Beth Buchanan (9), Hannah Lynch (10), and Hayden James (12).
The final individual race of the day, the 100m IM, saw Gold medals for Ellie Dunlop (10), Molly Rice (12), Michael Mc Gowan (10), Tom Buchanan (11), Silver for Beth Jones (9), Hannah Lynch (10), Luke Lannon (9), Adam Forster (10), Oliver Mooney (11), Hayden James (12) and Bronze for Shay McCarney (11) and James Mongan (12). This brought the Lakelanders medal tally to an amazing 98 medals over the short mornings swimming!
The Girls 100m Freestyle relay saw our Dolphin team of Ellie Dunlop, Holly James, Molly Rice and Hannah Lynch claim the Gold medal. The Swordfish Team of Alisha Farry, Lucy Rice, Beth Buchanan and Sarah Speer swam well to finish in fifth place, while the Starfish Team of Niamh Farry, Cora McConnell, Ava Neal and Beth Jones finished in sixth place.
The Boys 100m freestyle relay saw our boys also claim the gold medal with the Sharks team of Hayden James, Tom Buchanan, Michael McGowan and Darren Woods, with the Manta Ray team of James Mongan, Rory Aiken, Adam Forster and Luke Lannon claim the bronze medal just ahead of the Barracuda team of Dara Toner, Ryan McGowan, Shay McCarney and Oliver Mooney.
The Girls 100 Medley relay saw the Dolphin team take the silver medal with a very close finish between the Swordfish team (Alisha Farry, Emma Speer, Beth Buchanan and Saoirse McGovern) and the Starfish team (Madeline Curran, Cora McConnell, Cara Trainor and Erin Farry) for fifth and sixth place with just 0.26 of a second between the teams - a very exciting finish!
The boys 100 medley relay saw the Sharks team secure the gold medal and the Manta Ray team (James Mongan, Ryan Mongan, Adam Foster and Luke Lannon) take home the bronze medal with the Barracuda team (Ryan Aiken, Ryan McGowan, Shay McCarney and Josh Cassidy) finishing in 4th place.
The mixed medley relay produced some excellent swims with our Tuna team of Hayden James, Holly James, Michael McGowan and Ellie Dunlop taking the Silver medals with the Salmon team of Alisha Farry, Tom Buchanan, Molly Rice and Darren Woods swimming well to finish in 4th place.
Lakelander’s Gala Secretary Noel Mc Manus, paid tribute to the local swimmers saying, ‘at least 18 of our kids were completely new to competing at an individual gala, especially Kyle James, Lucy Rice - Aoibheann Mc Carney and Katie James who only joined the club in the past few weeks. The overall medal haul of 98 individual medals for the local club and countless PBs speak for themselves. we’re all excited for the future of the Lakelanders and watching the next generation develop.’
Lakelanders Chairperson Sara Lannon, praised all the parents who gave their time to run the event saying, ‘our parent volunteers never tire of coming out early on a Sunday morning to help ensure our events are positive and fun for our swimmers. It’s this commitment and energy that is essential for helping our swimmers start their sporting journey in the right way’.
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