Lisburn City Swimming Club

Lisburn Swimmers on Form at the Ulster Graded 3 Meet

Swim Ulster held their third Meet on the 22^nd-24^th January at the Robinson Centre, Belfast. The Burns Gala was a full weekend of swimming which saw some super performances along the way. Lisburn City had a full compliment taking part;  entrants from the Swim Academy through to the Performance squad within the Club structure.

The youngest swimmers from Swim Academy notched up personal bests, swimming for the first time in “Skins” events and collected medals having given it their all. A special mention goes to nine year olds’ Rachel Bethal and Andrew Edgar. Rachel had a great competition lifting three 1^st places 100 Free, 100 Back and 400 Free and Andrew got Gold in 50 Free,200 Free, 200 Back and 3^rd in 100 Breast.

In the Age Group squad  1….2….3….. featured a lot. In the 100M Freestyle Alexandra Hunter got 1^st place and also went on to lift two thirds in the 200 IM and 50M Breaststroke. In the 13 year old category Robert Allison got  a silver medal in the 200 Backstroke. In the boys 100M Breaststroke Alex Walker got 2^nd place and his brother Matthew (13) 3^{rd .}  Natasha Pollock got 3^rd in the 12 year old category and  Lucy Scott 3rd. In the 100M Fly Alex Walker got gold with Matthew Walker getting  2^nd place in his event. The girls were also on form , Ruth Russell 2^nd, Natasha Pollock 2^nd, Lucy Scott 2^nd and her training partner Jessica Peel 3^rd.  In the 100 Breast Lisburn had great success……Ruth Russell lifted Gold, Alex Walker silver, Lucy Scott Bronze and Matthew Walker bronze. In the 200 Backstroke Lisburn 11 year olds  Ruth Russell and Alex Walker  dominated the event both lifting gold, Jessica Peel (13) 2^nd , Chloe Richards(12) , Kyles Hayes(12), Robert Allison  2^nd and Lucy Scott(14)  3^rd. In the 200IM the Lisburn squad were strong with Jessica Peel, Ruth Russell,  Natasha Pollock and Matthew Walker all picking up gold with some super swims. Lucy Scott,and  Alex Walker both getting silver medals with Jessica Peel, Robert Allison  and Chloe Richards lifting 3^rd places.

The Senior/Performance Squad swimmers had a great meet. Peter Sands was on form lifting Gold in 1500 Free with a new personal best of 17.48.96 and going on to lift gold in 400IM(pb), 200 Free(pb) and 200 Back(pb). Lee Galloway led the way by taking gold in the 50 Free with a time of 26.22. In the 100M freestyle Lisburn girls were strong with Jemma Bingham who is having a great season thus far picking up gold in a time of 1.05.55 and a new personal best. Her training partners, Sarah O’Callaghan(pb)1.05.94 and Katie Reid 1.01.08 also lifted gold. Lisburn dominated the 400IM event with Nicky Galloway(pb), Kourosh Abelehkoob(pb) , Adams Matthews(pb) and Russell white all coming 1^st in their respective races, brothers Chris Coulter(pb) and John Coulter(pb) lifting silver medals. Olan Derry swan a strong race getting 3^rd place in the 16 year old category. In the 200 Free event the boys showed form and an array of medals were pocketed; Nicky Galloway recorded a time of 2.13.77 collecting a bronze and a new personal best on the way, Kourosh Abelehkoob got gold in a time of 2.09.36 with a new personal best, David Thompson in the 16 year old event got silver,17 year olds Lee Galloway and Russell White got a 1….2…. In the 100 Backstroke, Lisburns’  14 year olds girls dominated and what a tight race it was…. Megan Morrison touching in on 1.13.09 with Jemma Bingham getting second on 1.13.63. Sarah O’Callaghan kept the pressure on her competitors but just missed out on 1^st place by 9 hundredths of a second to lift silver.  Club Captain Katie Raid showed her form getting 1^st place with a time of 1.06.87.

Adam Matthews was in fine form in the 100 Breaststroke claiming 1^st place with a time of 1.10.28 a new personal best for him. Chris Coulter, Kourosh Abelehkoob, John Coulter and Russell White were also strong contenders in their 100M Breast events all collecting medals. In the 400 Freestyle Lisburn had double gold by way of Sarah O’Callaghan(15)  and Katie Reid(16). Both girls were strong in their individual races. Nicky Galloway continued to show strong form in the 200Backstroke,  a great event for this young man, he got 2^nd place with Kourosh Abelehkoob getting 2^nd in his event. In the 200IM training partners, Sarah O’Callaghan(pb), Jemma Bingham and Katie Reid did the triple taking gold in each  of their events. The Lisburn young men continued to show form in the 100M Butterfly with a super performance by Adam Matthews who got 1^st place with a time of 1.04.06.   17 year old Lee Galloway gold with a time of 1.03.40. Chris Coulter lifted a silver medal in the 14 year old category. Olan Derry and Russell White swam superbly but had to be content with 3^rd place in their fly races.

 What a weekend for the Club…..Well done to all our Athletes. We are still early in the season and some fine form being shown…..