Reading Swimming Club's youngest competitors swam the final round of the 2007 Thames Valley Junior League at Maidenhead's Magnet Sports Centre – the team again patched up after late withdrawals thanks to the efforts of Chris Thomas and Jacqui Taylor.
Ten-year-old Alex Cawthorne was Reading's star for the third round running, in both his own age group and "swimming up" against older boys.
Cawthorne won both individual events in his own year, the 50 breaststroke in 43.24 and the freestyle in 34.54, and won the breaststroke again when "swimming up" in 44.30. To cap a great league season, he helped relay teams to three second places.
Georgie Wilkins, back after a long illness, was a double winner in the top age group, taking her 50 fly in 36.74 and breaststroke in 43.31, while Barnaby Kempster continued his excellent form of the past few weeks with a 50 backstroke win. Twelve-year-old Sam Kemp was another winner, holding on to take the 50 fly in 43.06 in a very exciting race.
Olivia Paige, 11, was the only Reading swimmer to claim a second place in the individual events, just missing out in the fly in a time of 45.13.
Third spots went to both the 10 years fly swimmers, Nicola Ryan, a star of the future and Hamish Scott, who gave his all, Nicola’s time 51.22 , Hamish’s 69.68. Ruaridh Sheppard's improved swim on backstroke in the 10s age group also claimed a third spot in 47.90.
In the relays, the 12 year boys freestyle quartet of Barnaby Kempster, Harry Nash, Niko Ciercierski-Holmes and Sam Kemp won a tight race and the 10 years boys - Sheppard, Cawthorne, Scott and James Babbington – placed second twice.
The most exciting relay features eight legs, with a boy and a girl from each age group, with Reading again placing second thanks to Holly Bartlett, Lucy Douglas, Paige, Wilkins, Bruno Kemspter, Cawthorne, Alex Douglas and Barnaby Kempster.
Both the nine year old mixed relay teams placed third, with Anna Davies, Nicola Ryan, Freddy Woods and Tads Ciercierski-Holmes in the freestyle and Bruno Kempster, Rickvir Sidhu, Anna Davies and Holly Bartlett in the medley. Within the year, the boys placed third in their freestyle and Abigail Sheppard joined Davies, Ryan and Bartlett for another third spot.
A much improved performance with 25 PBs swum in total and an overall gala placing of third augurs well for the future.
Final Result
Maidenhead 169 Points
Chesham 114.5
Reading 113
Chalfont 104.5
Amersham B 79
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