Several Newton Abbot swimmers took part in the 2008 Devon Development Gala, held over 2 weekends at Tiverton, achieving some excellent results – both personal best times and top 6 places, as well as being placed in the BAGCAT awards, presented to the swimmers achieving the highest overall points in each age group.

In the youngest age group, 9 year old Millie Price had 3 good wins, setting new PBs in each, in the 200m Breast and Individual Medley and also the 100m IM. She also came 3rd in the 200m Free with a 36 second PB! These excellent results earned Millie the 2nd place BAGCAT award for best overall score in her age group.   Other 9 year old girls competing in the gala were Kate Burford, who came 4th in the 100m IM (PB) and Beverley Cock who achieved 2 PBs and came 4th in the 200m IM.  Laura Silk also gained 3 good PBs. Archie Hailstone achieved 2 second places, in the 200m Breast and 200m IM.  

Moving up to the 10 year olds, Brogan Mace was Newton’s only female competitor: she finished 4th in the 100m IM (PB),  3rd in the 200m Free and won the 200m Backstroke, all in good PBs.  Mace too came 2nd in the BAGCAT awards in her age group, missing out on the top spot by just 4 points. Owen Turner competed in the 200m free & 200m IM. Harrison Boult also swam in the 200m Free and 100m IM.  Sam Booth achieved 4 top 10 finishes, his best race being the 200m IM when he finished 5th with a 20 second PB.

Newton’s 11 year olds produced some excellent performances. Yelena Alton swam in 6 events, achieving PBs in all of them!  Her best finish was in the 200m Fly, in which she came 3rd. 
Emma Collyer entered 5 events, and achieved 4 PBs.  Sofiya Cox swam in 2 events.  Emma Silk finished in the top 6 in all 6 events she entered, with her best performances coming in the 200m Back, 200m Fly and 800m Free.  Silk came 2nd in each of these events and gained good PBs in all her races; meaning that yet again a Newton Abbot swimmer was awarded gained the 2nd place BAGCAT award.  This was an excellent result, as there were no less than 43 competitors in this 11 year girls’ category. Guy Bennett, able to compete on only one of the weekends, owing to injury, none the less came 2nd in both the 200m and 800m Free, with PBs in each of his 3 events.  Benjamin Gauntlett came 6th in the 200m Back and achieved 3 PBs.

For the 12 year olds, Abbie Clarke came 6th in the 200m Fly and achieved PBs in all 6 of her events. Alysha Prowse performed well in the Breaststroke events at the Gala, coming 2nd in the 100m and winning the 200m race in a 14 second PB.  Prowse achieved 3 further PBs and was placed 6th in the BAGCATs.  Emmy Shaddick entered 4 events, gaining 3 PBs. Her best performance was 6th place in the 200m Back. Lara Cosford produced some excellent performances and achieved 7 top 5 placings.  She gained 2 2nd places (100m Fly and 100m Free) and 3 3rds in the 200m Fly (20 second PB), 100m IM and 800m Free, and these consistent performances earned Cosford the 2nd place BAGCAT award too!  Niall Grant, Newton’s sole 12 year old boy competitor, produced an outstanding set of results, with PBs in all 8 events.  Not content with 2nd places in the 200m Free & IM, Grant went on to win 5 events in his age group:- 100m &  200m Breast, 100m IM and both long distance events,  the 400m and 800m Freestyle. Grant joined Newton’s band of 2nd place BAGCAT award winners too.   

Two 13 year old boys represented Newton at the Gala, and produced a string of impressive results.  Lewis Hailstone achieved 7 PBs and produced some good performances in the Freestyle events with 7th place in the 100m, 4th in the 200m, 6th in the 400m and a good win in the 800m. Ryan Rogers gained good PBs in all 7 events entered and took 4 3rd places: 100m Back and Free and 200m Back and IM. Both boys featured in the BAGCAT awards in their age group, Hailstone in 6th place and Rogers a very creditable 3rd.  Chloe Roberts (13) came 4th in the 200m IM and 6th in the 200m Free;  Holly Willing (14) came 6th in the 100m Fly and 400m Free and achieved 3 PBs.