Exeter Sprints 2014

The Exeter Sprints, held at the Pyramids on Sunday 14 September, provided the perfect way to return to racing fitness after the summer break. More than 70 Exeter swimmers took part, competing against clubs from all over Devon and Cornwall. Special thanks, as always, to the organisers, judges, marshalls and helpers.

Exeter swimmers showed impressive early-season pace, winning medals in all strokes. Liam Jordan (10) led the way with gold in the day's first event, the 100m IM, knocking 19 seconds off his seed time in the process. He went on to win gold in 50m breast and bronze in 50m back. Brothers Alec and Liam White also took multiple golds, Alec (13) in 50m breast and 50m back (with bronze in 50m fly and 100m IM), and Liam (15) in 50m back and 50m free (with silver in 100m IM and bronze in 50m fly and 50m breast). Tom Wadeley-Jones finished 2nd, just beaten on the touch by Liam, in 50m free. Tom Downs (15) came home first in 50m fly, also adding bronze in 50m back. Charlie Kendall (14), like Liam, won a medal in all five events: gold in 50m free, silvers in 50m back, 50m fly and 50m breast, and bronze in 100m IM. Tim Western (12) took silver in 50m back and bronze in 50m fly and 100m IM.

No race better demonstrated that a very impressive group of 9-year-old girls is emerging at the club than the 50m fly, won by Jolie Sellek with Keely Ware 2nd and Amelia Kennedy-Bruyneels 3rd. Keely also claimed silver in 100m IM and 50m breast, while Jolie won 50m back and captured bronze behind Keely in 100m IM. The same age-group saw Anna Czipri take 2nd in 50m back. Amelia Ashelford (10) produced one of the swims of the day to win 50m back comfortably, and followed it up with silver in 50m fly and bronze in 100m IM. Lucy Peters (10) eased home impressively to win 50m free.


Milly and Rebecca shared six golds

Among the older girls, there were multiple gold medals for: Milly Kendall (11), who won four of her five races and finished third in 50m back; Rebecca Gibbins (12), who took gold in 50m fly and 50m free as well as silver in 100m IM; and Ella Farley (13), who claimed gold in 50m fly and 50m breast with silver in 100m IM. Olivia Passmore (11) finished in a dead heat with Milly for a share of gold in 50m breaststroke, and took bronze in 100m IM. Other medal winners were Olivia Burrow (12) with silver in 50m back, Grace James (12) with bronze in 50m fly, Tea Jones (12) with silver in 50m breast, and Rhiannon Loveman (15) with silver in 100m IM.

Full results can be found here.