[By Harry Wild and Phil Tanner]
While the Royals were winning at Fulham, 21 young swimmers from the Evening Post-sponsored Reading Swimming Club were in action not too far away as Beckenham SC hosted its "Rising Stars" meet at Crystal Palace. For several it was a first-ever taste of competition in a long-course (50-metre) pool.
The meet kicked off with the 200 freestyle and PBs by Reading's two youngest boys, Harry Nash and Sam Kemp, Kemp taking sixth in the 10/11 age group.
In the girls' event 11-year-old Georgie Wilkins claimed an excellent fourth place also in PB time of 2.43.51. Although out of the medal places, David Mills, Alice Hopkins, Jennifer Taylor and Natalia Ciecierska-Holmes also swam PBs.
Luca Poli, 11, making a big impact in his first season with Reading, collected the silver in his 50 fly (38.68), Sam Kemp taking another sixth spot. Georgie Wilkins's 40.46 yielded fifth in her age group, with Issy Keenan ninth in the next group in 37.41. Zoe Clark, one of the club's most improved swimmers this term, was sixth in the age group above.
The 50 freestyle again produced superb efforts with PBs by most Reading swimmers, Harry Nash taking a full six seconds off his entry time. Matthew Alderman, Sam Kemp, Jason Passmore, Beth Staley, Evening Post Swimmer of the Month Rosemary Millbank, Jo Wakefield, Sonja Buckley, Issy Keenan, Alice Hopkins, Beth Sturgess, Zoe Clark and Zoe Knott all improved on their entry times.
Passmore was Reading's second medallist, a bronze in his favourite event, the 100 breaststroke in 1.26.92. Wilkins and Keenan followed suit.
The morning session closed with the 50 backstroke and Reading's first gold as Barnaby Kempster stormed the 10/11 age group in 38.54. Luca Poli placed eighth despite it being probably his least favourite stroke and Niko Ciercierski-Holmes and Passmore both swam PBs.
Zoe Knott (14) was Reading's highest-placed girl in fifth, two places ahead of Beth Sturgess in the 14/15 category. Younger swimmers recording PBs were Natalia Ciecierska-Holmes and Beth Staley.
First event in the afternoon was the meet's toughest – the 200 IM, demanding technique in all four strokes as well as stamina.
Reading were outside the medals, but Poli (fifth) Barnaby Kempster (sixth) and Kemp (eighth) swam strongly. Harry Nash, whose only previous experience was in much less testing 25-metre pools, lopped 11 seconds off his previous best, with Niko Ciercierski-Holmes, George Kristiaan [correct] and Jennifer Taylor also recording PBs.
Wilkins was again in the medals with a 100 backstroke bronze in 1.28.35, while Knott missed a medal by one place and Taylor and Wakefield also swam well.
Only a few swimmers tackled the 100 butterfly, where Wilkins won her year in a PB of 1.24.63. Taylor, Millbank and Alice Hopkins placed 6-7-8 in the 12/13 group.
The 50 breaststroke followed, with Zoe Clark Reading's pick with a fourth place and more PBs by Buckley, Niko Ciercierski-Holmes, Hopkins and Millbank.
The meet closed with some very big fields in the 100 freestyle. Clark again starred with a fourth spot in 1.11.84 - a major two-second improvement on her short-course time – and Wilkins was next best as sixth in her year.
Coach Harry Wild summed the meet up as "overall performances of a high level and auguring well for the rest of the season".