OLIVER MAY TROPHY GALA
At one stage it looked like Hythe Aqua might have to withdraw because of a shortage of swimmers due to a clash with a major synchro event. However we did go to Maidstone but we all knew the gala wasn’t ours to win as we had young and weakened team. But it was a team full of spirit and fight as they proved to us all night.

Credit must go the swimmers in the 16/U and Open events as 5 boys and 4 girls with a few additions for relays filled 27 races. It was a test of fitness and guts as they had on average had 6 races with little rest in between. They definitely earned their Macdonald’s on the way home!

We got 9 firsts overall. These were: Zara Brazier (12/U Fly and Back), Richard Gamble (16/U Fly and Freestyle), Oliver Bray (16/U Breast), Ben Walker (12/U Breast) Mens 16/U Medley and Free relay Teams (Bray, Holder, Seamer, Gamble) and Open Men’s Medley Relay (Platts, Bray, Gamble Holder)
Special mention must go to Olly Bray who won his race by over 11 seconds and Richard Gamble who stormed to a sub 60 sec 100m Freestyle and a convincing win in the Fly. Zara Brazier also showed her strength by easily winning both her races.

2nd places went to: Sophie Newington (12/U Breast and Free) Oliver Bray (Open Breast), Richard Gamble (Open Free), Jamie Platts (Open Back) Girls 12/U Medley and Free style Relays
(Newington, Fell, Warren, Brazier) and the Boys 12/U Medley Team (Porter, Walker, Burch, Webborn)

The competition was tough and many of our swimmers were out of their age group so the top places were hard to get but we managed few 3rd places in the Open Girls Breast (Jenny Newman) 16/U Back (Alisdair Seamer) Open Freestyle Relay (Bray, Holder, Platts, Seamer) and the Mixed Breast 8x1 Squadron (Newington, Walker, Burridge, Hill Durand, Bray, Newman.Seamer)

Overall we came fourth which was not a true reflection of some very good swims but it was good experience for some of our younger swimmers leading up to the start of the Speedo and Junior League season. The full team was:
BOYS: Oliver Bray, Richard Gamble, Scott Holder, Alisdair Seamer, Ben Gunn, Josh Hill, Ben Brown,,Ben Walker, Daniel Burch, Jamie Porter, Barnabus Webborn.

GIRLS: Jenny Newman, Emma Jenkins, Polly Mclaughlin, Sarah Durand, Daisy Somerville, Maddie Read. Lilly Mclaughlin, Lizzy Burridge, Jessica Fell, Margo Durand, Sophie Newington, Zara Brazier, Beth Warren, Melissa Fell

Thanks also to the poolside staff, coaches and supporting parents who helped the evening to run so smoothly.