The Gators did themselves proud at their recent Autumn Home Meet held on 18/19 October 2009 at Waltham Forest Pool and Track. With a strong team of 29, some fantastic swims and great personal bests, they collectively achieved 34 Golds, 37 Silvers and 30 Bronze medals between them, not forgetting the 52 awards given also for 4th, 5th and 6th places.

Leading the gold medal haul for the girls were Emma Hasler (13) and Sanaa Akbar (14). Emma, achieving gold in the 400m & 200m freestyle, 200m Fly, 200m Back & 200 Individual Medley, as well as winning one silver and 3 bronzes in other events.; and Sanna, winning gold in the 50 & 100m freestyle, and 50, 100 & 200m Butterfly and silver in the 50 back.

The 15 year old boys brought home 11 golds between them, Oliver Burling winning 4 of them in the 400 & 200m freestyle and 400 & 200 IM’s together with 5 silvers and 2 bronze, Alistair France, two, in the 50 & 100 breast, as well as 3 silvers and 2 bronze; Niall Gandy, three golds in the 50 & 200m Back and 200 breast plus 3 silvers and a bronze; and Elliott Hill, two golds in the 50m free and 200 IM. Tommy Willis (13) won gold in the 100 free, 100 IM and 50 breast together with 3 silvers and 2 bronze. Teammates Arjun Robertson (13) won 3 silvers and a bronze, Matthew Whyman (14) secured silver and David Hare (12) won a silver and 2 bronze.

In the 200m freestyle Poppy Hill and Elizabeth Hare outshone the field to win the Gold and Silver in the 14 year old age group. Poppy also won gold in the 200 and 400m I.M. as well as 2 silvers and 3 bronze and team mate Elizabeth won a further 3 silvers and a bronze. Eris Crawford also won bronze in the 200m freestyle in the 13 year age group.

The younger Gators all swam magnificently too. Amrita Robertson (11) won 4 golds in the 400 free, 100 back, 200 breast and 50 fly and young Megan Summers (9) won Gold in the 200 back as well as a bronze. Pasha George (10) won 2 silver and 4 bronze and Tozan Egodo 2 silvers. Holly Taylor (10) won a 6th place medal in the 100 back and achieved some great new personal best times. Nathan Leong (11) won 2 golds in the 400m freestyle and Individual Medley knocking 20 seconds off his personal best, Ryan Nicholls (11) 1 silver and 4 bronze, Jeremy Knockels (11) 1 silver and 2 bronze, Chris Baldwin (11) 2 silvers, and Joshua Burcombe (10) won a silver and bronze.

Lee Farmer (13) , Gavin Kawol (10), Reece Nicholls (9) and Joel Hayhow (13) all achieved 4th 5th or 6th place medals and his brother Oliver Hayhow (10) achieved some fantastic personal best times.

Congratulations to all our fantastic Gators who competed at the weekend, it makes all the hard work and effort that goesinto running our own meet worthwhile.  A big thank you goes to all the volunteers who made it possible.   

23/10/2009