Golden session for Belper Marlins on exciting day two of Summer Meet finals

A total of 34 national champions were crowned on day two’s finals session at the Swim England National Summer Meet 2023.

It was a golden session for the youngsters from Belper Marlin Swimming Club, as Jaden Leo and Emma Jane Rantzen enjoyed success.

Leo laid claim to his second gold medal in as many days after victory in the Men’s 13/14 Years 200m Breaststroke and Rantzen topped the pile in the Women’s 12/13 Years 50m Freestyle final.

Northumberland and Durham also built on their afternoon success of gold and silver in the Women’s 1500m Freestyle events to add a further nine medals to their tally.

Williams wins title

The mixed-classification individual medley events kicked off the second finals session of the competition.

The women were up first and it was 16-year-old Ella Williams who won gold for Swindon with a time of 3:00.97.

Stockport Metro’s Tylia Glynn posted 3:02.04 to come second and claim silver.

Jersey Swimming Club’s Rebecca Hardy-Bishop finished just 1.01 seconds behind Glynn to take the bronze medal.

In the men’s race, Aidan Stanbrook of Winchester received gold for setting a very impressive 2:39.12.

Max Davies was his closest challenger – the Worksop Dolphins swimmer set a time of 2:59.92 to beat 15-year-old Owen Johnson, who represents Repton Swimming Club, to silver.

Hurst holds off competition

Up next was the Women’s 100m Butterfly finals and first were the competitors of the 12/13 Years age group.

A very tight race witnessed Warrington Warriors swimmer Iris Hurst fend off Mei Hayakawa and Elizabeth Warner to win gold.

Hurst recorded a time of 1:05.22 – 1.09 seconds ahead of Barnet Copthall’s silver-medallist, Hayakawa, and 1.31 ahead of City of Leeds swimmer Warner, who took home bronze.

In the 14 Years age group, Haslemere’s Delilah Martin recorded 1:04.99 to clinch the gold medal. Just 1.35 seconds behind her was Ella Faulkner of Stockport Metro, who won silver.

Incredibly, just 1.59 separated bronze-medallist Victoria Hudson, representing Nuneaton Swimming Club, and the rest of the pack.

Royal Tunbridge Wells Monson Swimming Club’s Nightingale-Ellis finished ahead of Trafford Metro swimmer Georgia Cowgill to take gold from the 15 Years race.

Nightingale-Ellis posted 1:04.71, whilst silver winner Cowgill finished in 1:05.24.

Sadie Hunter, who represents City of Peterborough, earned a bronze medal thanks to her effort of 1:05.30.

In the 16 Years race, Northumberland and Durham’s O’Halleron-Hutinchson was closely tailed by Poole’s Halle Harris and City of Sheffield’s Chloe Cooke, who took silver and bronze with times of 1:04.91 and 1:05.07 respectively.

The 17 Years and over age group saw Beth Hall, Madison Johnson and Kiera Noon all finish within just 0.27 of one another.

It was Hall (1:02.57) who was crowned national champion, with Johnson (1:02.77) and Noon (1:02.84) completing the podium by sealing silver and bronze.

Queensland’s 21-year-old swimmer Lucy Dring won a commemorative gold for her effort of 1:01.30.

One-two finish for Mount Kelly

There was a one-two finish for Mount Kelly in the Men’s 15 Years 200m Freestyle.

In an unbelievably tight finish, Ralph Sereki (1:58.90) beat teammate Ben Uff to gold by only 0.03 seconds.

City of Peterborough’s Orlando Dearing recorded 1:59.17 to earn bronze and complete the podium line-up.

Moments earlier, City of Leeds swimmer William Hicklin came in at under two minutes (1:59.46) for the first time to win national gold in the 13/14 Years final.

Millfield’s Wilfred Leigh recorded 2:00.86 to secure silver and the bronze medal was won by Finlay Richardson, who represents Guildford City, with his effort of 2:01.43.

Zain Salah of Hamilton UAE took home a commemorative gold after setting a time of 1:59.03.

A very strong swim from Jack Brown of Soundwell saw him take gold from the 16 Years final.

Brown’s time of 1:57.40 could not be bettered by Middlesbrough’s Finn Ripley, who claimed silver, or bronze-medallist Edward Ormsby from City of Cambridge.

The 17 Years age group was won by Newcastle’s Reece Blackett. An amazing comeback in the final 50m from Crawley’s Alexander Davis resulted in him finishing just 0.74 seconds behind Blackett to earn silver.

The bronze medal was awarded to Northumberland and Durham’s Thomas Maskell after he posted a time of 1:57.53.

Ethan Rayment of Bath University stood atop the national podium following the 18 Years and over age group final with his effort of 1:53.03.

And there was another Northumberland and Durham swimmer on the podium. This time it was Lewis Maxwell (1:53.42) in silver.

Luke Ibbeson, meanwhile, posted 1:54.10 to finish behind Maxwell and earn a bronze for Loughborough University.

Queensland claimed commemorative gold in the 18 Years and over final thanks to James Koch’s time of 1:48.04.

Storming Scarlet Tinwell

A late dash from Newcastle’s 16-year-old Scarlett Tinwell won gold for her by 0.06 seconds in the Women’s 200m Breaststroke.

Ellen Eccleston from City of Norwich and Poppy Williams of Team Bath AS joined Tinwell in the top three with times of 2:44.10 and 2:44.59 to win silver and bronze respectively.

Prior to Tinwell’s victory, in the first of the Women’s 200m Breaststroke finals, Maidstone’s Olivia Quiller took gold in the 12/13 Years age group after a time of 2:43.14 placed her ahead of Bromley’s Josephine Lawn.

Lawn recorded 2:45.15 to secure silver. The podium was completed by Iola Bellinger, who represents Salisbury. Bellinger finished in 2:46.29 to win her bronze medal.

Team Ipswich’s Clementine Lovell won the 14 Years final to take home gold with a time of 2:42.81.

Almost a couple of seconds behind her was Hannah Capron of Brighton and Isabel Owen, who represents Chase. Their times of 2:44.52 and 2:44.63 won them silver and bronze respectively.

Playing her part in Northumberland and Durham’s positive results was Abbie Whitfield, who claimed gold in the 15 Years event.

Lucy Matthews’ effort of 2:47.13 was enough to place her behind Whitfield, and she took home silver. Anaconda’s Iris Court wasn’t far behind Matthews, and she won bronze by posting 2:47.20.

The 17 Years and over final was won by Denisa-Elena Gogu from City of Manchester Aquatics, the 25-year-old’s time of 2:36.41 saw her earn national gold.

Lily Jackson-Oates was the silver-medallist after posting 2:38.02, with Brompton swimmer Pixie Lale-Klasicki recording 2:39.56 to take bronze.

Two more commemorative medals were awarded to Queensland as Matilda Smith recorded a very fast time of 2:28.40 to win gold and Tilly King finished in 2:33.08 for her silver.

Leo at the double

It was neck and neck in the Men’s 13/14 Years 200m Breaststroke between Jaden Leo and James Wright.

The pair pushed each other all the way, but Leo came out on top to make it a second gold for the Belper Marlin swimmer.

After winning the 100m Breaststroke on day one, he managed a four second personal best time of 2:28.57 over double the distance.

Millfield’s Wright won silver in 2:29.31 and Charlie Ruddell also made it onto the podium as he came through to take bronze for Team Ipswich in 2:32.41.

City of Birmingham swimmer Finley Lowe put on a dominant display in the 15 Years final.

His time of 2:25.13 was more than four seconds clear of second place. Nova Centurion’s Oliver Richmond was the silver medal winner, followed by Royal Wolverhampton’s Rhys True in third.

Clevedon’s Jamie Steadman was another of the athletes to double up on national titles.

He added the Men’s 16 Years 200m Breaststroke to his 400m Individual Medley gold after clocking a time of 2:26.43.

Guildford’s Thomas Williams was the next to finish, but only narrowly ahead of Lewis Andrews of Norwich Swans.

Williams stretched out to take the silver by 0.11 as Andrews finished in 2:30.30 for bronze.

In the 17 Years event, Freddie Carter was being chased down by Daniel Fielder but held on the take the national title.

The Swindon Dolphins swimmer was a second ahead of Gloucester’s Fielder at the touch to secure gold in 2:24.77. In third was Carnforth’s James Escolme.

After a bronze in the 400m IM on day one, Donatas Dragasius of Mount Kelly stepped onto the top podium place in the 18 Years and over 200m Breaststroke.

He won national gold in a time of 2:22.40. The silver medal was presented to York City swimmer Simon Robson and bronze was won by Northumberland and Durham’s Joseph Martin.

Commemorative gold and silver went to Queensland’s Joshua Collett and Bailey Lello respectively.

Rantzen races to gold

Belper Marlin didn’t have to wait long to enjoy more medal glory as Emma Jane Rantzen took gold in the Women’s 12/13 Years 50m Freestyle to add to her club’s success on day two.

The 13-year-old showed speed to power home in 27.38. Making up the remainder of the podium was Woking’s Alexandra Platt (27.49) and Northumberland and Durham’s Honey Robinson (27.91).

Knutsford’s Eloise Perritt won the 14 Years race by 0.14 to be crowned national champion.

Perritt managed a time of 27.26 to finish ahead of Repton swimmer Elodie Pearcey who was the winner of the silver medal.

Taking home the bronze medal was Delilah Martin of Haslemere.

Clinching the gold medal in the 15 Years final was Modernian’s Eliose Cole who was just outside of the 27 second mark.

She finished in 27.08 and out in lane seven, Sofija Gelev made her mark to earn her place on the podium and a silver medal for Chelsea and Westminster.

There was another medal for Northumberland and Durham, this time thanks to Seren Tallantyre who earned bronze in 27.46.

The 16 Years race saw an extremely close finish, with just over a second separating the entire field.

Annie Sanders of Bromley was the swimmer to take the victory in 27.05, but Bolton Metro’s Lisa Barzaghi was right behind her as they approached the finish.

Barzaghi managed a time of 27.13 and next up was Teia Hendley (27.38) of Leamington for bronze.

More commemorative medals were awarded to Queensland in the 17 Years and over final, but the national title went to Maisie Gilford of Bath University.

The 20-year-old rounded off the 50m Freestyle races with a strong swim and recorded a time of 26.49.

Hannah Woodcock of Pershore joined Gilford on the podium as she collected silver. Following in third and adding to Bromley’s medal count was Emma Van Selm.

Butterfly brilliance on display

Thomas Swales took the title of national champion in the Men’s 13/14 Years 100m Butterfly after the Nova Centurion swimmer recorded a 58.97.

The only other English swimmer to drop under the minute mark was Sutton and Cheam’s Joshua Burkill who managed a time of 59.61 and earned a silver medal.

Dartmoor’s Toby Nakamura-Drew was just over the one minute (1:00.16) but a superb swim saw him take bronze. And there was another commemorative gold medal for Zain Salah of Hamilton UAE.

Six swimmers all went under the one minute mark in the 15 Years race which was an impressive feat for the age group.

Aquiles Bello was the swimmer to top the pile. The Elmbridge swimmer’s gold medal-winning time was 59.03.

Salisbury’s Oscar Bellinger was the next reach the wall in the silver medal position, followed by Repton’s Harry Milne for bronze.

Alexandru Lazar set his new fastest time on his way to securing the national title in the 16 Years event.

The Northumberland and Durham swimmer went under 58 seconds with a time of 57.85.

His teammate William Gowler was the bronze medallist and separating the pair was Worcester’s Ben Gooch in second.

In the 17 Years final, it was Maddox Roberts of Witham Dolphins who took the spoils in 57.36.

City of Leicester’s George Moore and Winchester’s Freddie Sadler were the respective silver and bronze medallists.

It was an enthralling end to the Men’s 100 Butterfly finals with a strong field competing in the 18 Years and over event.

Loughborough University secured two of the available podium places through Calvin Fry (54.05) who claimed gold and Joshua Gough (55.46) in third.

Taking the silver medal was Enfield’s Sam Cornish and both Jack Carr and Harrison Turner of Queensland won commemorative gold and silver medals respectively.

Winnifrith wins second gold

The final events of the session were the Women’s and Men’s Multi-Classification 50m Freestyle races.

Iona Winnifrith claimed her second gold medal of the competition as she won the women’s event.

The Tonbridge swimmer added the 50m Freestyle title to her 100m Freestyle victory on the opening day of action.

At 12-years-old, Winnifrith racked up 586 points to win gold. Collecting silver was Jersey swimmer Rebecca Hardy-Bishop who amassed 554 points and Mwaba Mkwasa of Norwich Swans added a bronze to her silver medal after 529 points saw her finish third.

The men’s final was won by Worksop’s Max Davies. His total of 572 points was enough to take the national crown.

With the same points total as the women’s silver medallist, Oswestry Otters swimmer Akaash Das claimed the men’s silver ahead of Romford Town’s Kai Bradford who won bronze with 502 points.