SWIMMING — Inverclyde ASC Squads In Action At Grangemouth MeetsYOUNG Inverclyde Amateur Swimming Club swimmers were in action at Grangemouth junior age group (JAGS) and middle age group (MAGS) competitions, producing an outstanding medal haul over two days.
JAGS is a graded meet, meaning swimmers must be slower than the entry time to compete. Graded competitions are designed to offer less experienced swimmers the opportunity to race and are the entry point to competitive swimming for many young athletes. MAGS is not graded, meaning the competition steps up a level, with swimmer up to 15 years old competing.
At the JAGS meet, Inverclyde ASC’s 16 swimmers won multiple medals, one ‘Too Fast’ award and a Best Boy and Best Girl award for the most impressive swimmers of the day. In recognition of their success, Inverclyde ASC was awarded runner-up for Best Club against much bigger teams.
In the JAGS morning session it was the turn of the 10 years and under children to compete, with many swimmers making their competitive debut. Seven-year-olds Mirrin Fay and Katie Deegan (who was celebrating her seventh birthday) more than held their own against the older competitors. Douglas Campbell impressed, coming fourth in the 50-metre backstroke and sixth in the 50-metre butterfly.
Samuel McClumpha and Abi McAnerney also did well, and Abi was particularly unlucky not to win a medal in the 50-metre backstroke, when an accident against the wall robbed her of her commanding lead.
Highlights from the morning’s racing included a brilliant gold for Sophie Campbell in the 50-metre butterfly, fourth place for Oliver Jones in the 50-metre butterfly and a bronze and a sixth place for Isabella McClafferty in the 50-metre butterfly and 50-metre freestyle respectively. The boys’ relay team (Scott, Oliver, Douglas and Samuel) came fourth and the girls’ team (Isabella, Abi, Sophie and Eilidh) went one better and won a bronze medal.
Stars of the morning were undoubtedly Scott Brodie and Eilidh Melrose, pictured above. Scott won gold in the 50-metre butterfly and silver in both the 50-metre backstroke and 50-metre breaststroke. He then went on to win a ‘Too Fast’ award for the 50-metre freestyle. With those results, it was no surprise when Scott won the Best Boy award. Eilidh also put in a superb performance to win silver in the 50-metre breaststroke and fourth in both the 50m butterfly and 50m freestyle. Eilidh was awarded the Best Girl award.
In the JAGS afternoon session, it was the turn of the 11 and 12-year-olds. The gauntlet had thrown down, but the older swimmers lived up to the challenge, with all of them achieving personal best (PB) times. Lewis Anderson won gold in the 12 years, 50-metre backstroke and 50-metre freestyle and silver in the 50-metre breaststroke. Kerr Melrose won gold in the 11 years, 50-metre butterfly and came fourth in the 40-metre breaststroke.
For the girls, Katherine Simpson won two silver medals in the 12 years, 50-metre breaststroke and the 50-metre freestyle. Eleven-year-old Charlotte Jones bagged a silver in the 50-metre butterfly and a bronze in the 50-metre breaststroke.
There were also a couple of fourth-place finishes for the 11-year-old girls, with Anna McClafferty in the 50-metre backstroke and Olivia McNally in the 50-metre breaststroke. The girls’ relay team rounded the day off with another great fourth place.
On the Sunday, it was the turn of the MAGS competition. Six Inverclyde ASC swimmers were in action this time. Kiera McCrorey, Lewis Anderson and Connor McCrorey all performed well to achieve new PB times against some seriously strong opposition.
Lucy Campbell, Mirren McConnell and Oliver Patton all recorded new PBs, and were each delighted to come away with a hard-won sixth-place -– Lucy and Mirren in the 100-metre butterfly and Oliver in the 100-metre backstroke.
Coach Shirley Reford said: “There were stunning performances throughout the weekend with some great debuts from our younger swimmers. The team spirit was electric –- there was such great camaraderie poolside with everyone supporting each other. It makes such a difference to the swimmers’ confidence. I was so proud of them all.”
