Saturday night was the first round of this year’s Mercian League, held at Solihull’s Tudor Grange swimming baths.
Not a long journey for a Saturday night gala – except half of the Beeches swimmers, including coach Simon Hughes, were stuck on the M42 for two hours following an accident on there!
So the gala didn’t get off to the easiest of starts, with massive team changes, and the team unable to swim the 10 year old relays (as they were short of a 10 year old boy and girl – both stuck on the motorway!).
No stewards at the start of the gala either – so Andrew Gulliver had to manage the team single handedly for the first half of the gala – well done Andrew!
After a delayed start to the gala, one by one the missing Beeches swimmers started to appear on poolside – to lots of hugs and cheers from their fellow swimmers!!!
There were 13 wins on the night – these went to Catrise Hart (in the 10/under 50 Backstroke, and 12/under 100 Backstroke); Brother Ellison Hart (in the 10/under 50 Backstroke); Katie Gulliver (in the Open 100 Butterfly); Little sister Becky Gulliver (in both the 10/under 50 Freestyle and 25 Butterfly); Penny Whittingham (in the Open 100 Backstroke); Maddie Hughes (in the 12/under 50 Butterfly); Ella Payne (in the 12/under 100 Freestyle); The Mens Open Relay Team (in both the Medley and Freestyle relays – Cameron Rimmer, Louis Oliver, Steve Dunn and Stuart Fuller); The Ladies Open Freestyle Relay Team (Penny Whittingham, Jessica Jones, Katie Gulliver and Sareena Gaddu); The girls 10/under relay team (Trearna Hart, Catrine Hart, Becky Gulliver and Emma Fuller).
Other top 3 finishers on the night were: Vicky Cox (in both the 14/under Butterfly and the 14/under Backstroke); Trearna Hart (in the 10/under 50 Breaststroke); Louis Oliver (in the Open Breaststroke); Ellison Hart (in the 10/under 25 Butterfly); Jessica Jones (in the Open Freestyle); Katie Gulliver (in the Open 100 IM); Sareena Gaddu (in the Open Breaststroke); Harvey Higgins (in the 100 Freestyle); the girls 12/under Freestyle relay team (Ella Payne, Catrine Hart, Becky Gulliver and Maddie Hughes).
Other swimmers on the night were Abbie Fuller, Dylan Hunt, Jacob Dunn, Jack Robins, Daniel Job, Vinaye Gaddu and Shontréz Lecky.
Coach Simon Hughes was happy with the result, and proud of all of the swimmers.
This result from round one, although hindered by the unusual start to this gala, places us mid table after the first round. Lets see what gets thrown at us in the next round!!!