THE Junior Fenland League gala, held in March, on Sunday, gave many young members of Wisbech Swimming Club an opportunity to pick up valuable experience. Abigail Rapley and Jessica Clarke overcame their nerves and swam well in their first competitive race

THE Junior Fenland League gala, held in March, on Sunday, gave many young members of Wisbech Swimming Club an opportunity to pick up valuable experience.

Abigail Rapley and Jessica Clarke overcame their nerves and swam well in their first competitive races. The more experienced Tom Kelly demonstrated his competitive spirit to win three events, all in personal best times.

In the 39 events, the young Wisbech team produced a superb performance to finish second overall and to record 17 personal best times, nine wins, 13 second places and 12 third places.

First places - Kate Newton, Joe Stead, Abigail Rapley and Lee Clarke: 9 yrs 4x25m free relay; Sarah Knight: under-11 50m butterfly (pb) and under-12 50m butterfly; Jake Hopkisson: under-11 50m backstroke (pb); Tom Kelly: 4x25m individual medley (pb); 50m freestyle (pb) and 50m breaststroke (pb); Jamie Sheldrick: under-13 50m backstroke (pb); Helen Brown: under-13 50m breaststroke (pb).

Second places - Abigail, Kate, Lee and Joe: 9yrs 4x25m medley relay; Harry Johnson: under-10 50m backstroke (pb); Lee Clarke: under-10 50m freestyle; Annabel Van Daalen: under-10 50m freestyle; Rory Willis: under-11 50m butterfly; Jake Hopkisson: under-11 50m freestyle; Sarah Knight: under-11 50m backstroke; Geri Tapner: under-11 50m breaststroke (pb); Leah Harrington: under-12 50m freestyle; Connie Anker: under-13 50m backstroke (pb); Jamie Sheldrick: under-13 50m butterfly (pb) and under-13 4x25m individual medley (pb); Lee, Kate, Annabel, Tom, Sarah, Jamie and Erin: Squadron 8x25m free relay team.

Third places - Harry Johnson: under-10 50m breaststroke (pb) and under-10 25m butterfly; Jessica Clarke: under-10 50m breaststroke and under-12 50m breaststroke; Kate Newton: under-10 50m backstroke; Leah Harrington: under-12 4x25m individual medley (pb); under-12 50m backstroke (pb) and under-13 50m freestyle; Jamie Sheldrick: under-13 50m freestyle (pb); Connie Anker: under-13 50m butterfly (pb); Tom Kelly: under-12 50m butterfly; Erin Gibbons: 4x25m individual medley.

Fourth places - Annabel Van Daalen: under-10 25m butterfly and under-11 50m freestyle; Rory Willis: under-11 50m breaststroke; Joshua Willet: under-12 50m backstroke.

n NINE members of Wisbech Swimming Club were also in action in the Thetford Open Meet, on Sunday, and again there were encouraging results.

Thomas Kelly (11yrs age group): 50m freestyle - fourth; 100m individual medley - fourth; 50m breaststroke - sixth; 50m backstroke - eighth; 50m butterfly - 12th.

Leah Harrington (11yrs age group): 50m freestyle - 11th; 100m individual medley - 11th; 50m butterfly - 11th; 50m backstroke - 13th; 50m breaststroke - 19th.

Ellen Williams (11yrs age group): 50m backstroke - second; 50m breaststroke - second; 100m individual medley - third; 50m freestyle - fourth; 50m butterfly - seventh.

Helen Brown (12yrs age group): 100m breaststroke - second; 100m butterfly - second; 200m individual medley - third; 100m freestyle - fourth; 100m backstroke - seventh.

Ryan Johnson (13yrs age group): 100m butterfly - second; 100m breaststroke - third; 200m individual medley - seventh; 100m freestyle - seventh.

Matthew Jakeman (14yrs age group): 100m breaststroke- third; 100m butterfly - fourth; 200m individual medley - fourth; 100m backstroke - fifth; 100m freestyle - fifth.

Tom Williams (14yrs age group): 200m individual medley - sixth; 100m backstroke - sixth; 100m freestyle - seventh.

Laura Pattern (14yrs age group): 100m freestyle - fourth; 100m backstroke - fifth; 100m backstroke - sixth; 200m individual medley - eighth; 100m breaststroke - eighth.

Dale Brown (15yrs age group): 200m individual medley - third; 100m butterfly - third; 100m breaststroke - fifth; 100m freestyle - seventh; 100m backstroke - ninth.