Newton Abbot Swimming Club recently hosted a Ribbon Gala for some of its younger members.  These were swimmers aged 9 years and under who had no experience of competitive swimming and all enjoyed their first taste of the gala atmosphere, as they were cheered on by their families and fellow swimmers.

All 4 of the races for girls aged 7 were won by Molly Burford.  Mollie Crabtree and Amelia Metcalfe each gained 2 2nd places, and Katie Page came 3rd in the Free.  Jasmine Stringer came 3rd in 3 events, narrowly losing out to the 2nd place swimmer in the Breaststroke event on the touch, as both girls recorded the same time.  Bethany England also swam in this age group.  The 7 year old boys’ races were contested by 4 swimmers, Alex Harris, Zach Myhill, Benjamin Davis and Frankie Warner.  Myhill and Harris came 1st and 2nd respectively in the Back, Breaststroke and Fly races, with positions reversed and a win for Harris in the Freestyle.  Davis gained 2 3rd places and Warner was 3rd in the Breaststroke race.

There was a similar situation in the girls 8 years category with Beverley Cock winning and Jess Sanders Wyatt coming 2nd in all 4 events.  Rhea Cosford came 3rd twice with further 3rd places being achieved by Gemma Hughes and Sarah George. In the 8 year old boys’ event, the top 3 places were shared between Oliver Palmer, Jamie Lowden and Archie Hailstone.  Palmer had 2 wins and 2 2nd places, Hailstone 2 wins 1 2nd and 1 3rd and Lowden a 2nd place in the Backstroke and 3 3rd places. 
Other swimmers in this age group included Amy comber, Charlotte Vaughan Burleigh, Mia Pleass, Rebecca May, Ellen Ward, Daniel Germon, John Roberts, Joseph Gauntlett.

The oldest age group taking part were 9 year old swimmers and the top 4 places in all 4 races were shared between Emily Palmer, Rosie Allen, Laura Silk, Rayma Dyke and Gemma Gardner.  Palmer Allen and Silk finished 1st 2nd and 3rd respectively in both the Back and Freestyle events,  Silk won the Breaststroke race, with Palmer 2nd and Allen 3rd, Palmer also won the Fly with Allen in 2nd place and Gardner 3rd.  There was a similar scenario in the boys’ races, where the top 3 spots were shared between Joshua Stuckey Howard, Connor Gray and James Wright.  James Wright won 3 races and had 1 3rd place; Stuckey Howard won the Free and gained 2 2nd places; Gray achieved 3 2nd and one 3rd place.   Other swimmers in this age group were Hannah Matson, Caitlin Meecham, Matthew Davies and Benjamin Gardner.