HAT TRICK FOR JOE

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Joe strikes a hat trick of golds at Halloween gala

Joe Willimott. achieved a hat trick of golds for the North Norfolk Vikings Swimming Club at  at a special Halloween junior gala at Dereham.

Joe made no mistakes when he dominated the 100 Individual Medley in his 11 year old age category by an outstanding 23 seconds margin in 1.42.86 and was the second fastest in all age groups combined for this event.  In the 50m butterfly he was second fastest again combined with 50.53 and in the 100m freestyle he scored 1.32.47 to win as fellow Viking. Finn Callaby took silver. Joe’s younger sister Emma, also had success when she took a bronze in the 50m backstroke with 49.59.

It was Finn and Lexie Parker, who earlier in the programme, got Vikings off to an excellent start by winning back to back golds. Finn  in the 50m backstroke on 48.94. and Lexie  in  the 100m butterfly with 1.56.05. The two swimmers went onto win another gold apiece.  Finn over 50m breatsroke  (57.26)  and Lexie in 100m backstroke with 1.41.61 respectively.

 

Isla Cartwright  took home four medals. The 12 year old’s best swim was undoubtedly her gold medal triumph when she won her Individual Medley by a 2 second margin in a close encounter. She complete the 100m in 1.39.83, reducing her personal best time by 11 seconds.

Her 9 year old , younger twin sisters were also successful in the 50m breststroke. Only hundredths of a second separated Tessa  getting silver in 1:01.53 from Holly’s bronze. in 1:01.73; both of whom swam personal bests.

Zerif Gokman came away with two excellent bronze medals. The first was over 100m breaststroke finishing in 2.04.57 and then the  50m when she just missed a medal  in 56.77. However, in the 50m butterfly she came back to win her second bronze of the day in  45.21.

There was a silver lining for Leonardo Jones. He took three silvers, two of which came in the freestyle. In the 50m he came home in 41.20 and then in the 100m he improved his personal best by 6 seconds to finish in 1:39.39. His other silver was another 50m this time in breaststroke scoring 1:04.4.

 

Milly Edridge  had double golds to be proud of. In the 100m freestyle  she finished in  1.28.22,  improving her best time by 5 seconds. Then in the 100m backstroke, she improved her time by 11 seconds touching the pad in 1.36.47. Milly went on to win a Bronze in the 50m breaststroke with 52.91 – another personal best time. She was the fastest Vikings in the event as  the club fielded 11 swimmers all of whom recorded personal best times.

 

Darcie Lee also improved her 100m freestyle. Although she did not medal she improved her 100m freestyle time by 5 seconds when she finished fifth in 1:51.39 and just missed out on a medal when she finished 4th over 100 Individual medley in 1.51.39 again reducing her time by another 5 seconds.

 

Isla Haynes, aged 11,  made a good account of herself.  Isla took on 8 challenging events and secured a personal best in 7 races. In the 100m freestyle she went 1:32.45 improving by 4 seconds and then over the same distance in the backstroke she touched in 1:56.65 improving by 8 seconds

 

11 year old Lucy Fincher, who is coached by Mark Claxton at the Reef, made a positive contribution to the afternoon. Lucy recorded a personal best time in all her events namely the 50m freestyle when she took off 3 second in 45.72 and subsequently she came in the top 8 in all her races.