VERY, very encouraging was the verdict from coach Nigel West as he described the results from the Devon development galas held at Plymouth by Okehampton Otters swimmers.

The development galas are for swimmers who have not gained a top three placing at the championships in the last year. So the competition was of a high standard.

Swims on the two Saturdays gave a grand total of 30 personal best times recorded by 10 participants.

Alex Wooldridge set 4 new 11 year age group records at 200 free,200 breast, 4x 25m i.m.and 50m fly.

In this age group Matthew Westlake came away with a record at the 4 x 50m i.m distance. The next record to fall was from Janek Jachnik in the 14 years 100m breast and lastly Imogen Maccullock in the girls 13 years 200m free.

Overall first places were swum by Janek Jachnik , he did the double by winning the 13 years 100m and 50m breast, he also swam to 12th in the 50m free, All in pb times.

This was very well deserved as he had been training very well for that and seems to have got the appetite back for the sport.

Alex Wooldridge swam consistently well, he gained second places in 50m breast and 50m fly, 200m free 8th, 200m breast 3rd, 50m back 12th, 4x25m i.m 4th and 50m free 9th with 5 of those pb swims.

Nine year old Nick Mingo became another success by gaining 3rd places at 50m free pb and 50m fly with a 4th place in the 50m back pb.

Matthew Westlake also came away with 2nd places in 50m back and 50m breast pb, 4th at 50m fly pb, 5th 4 x 50m i.m pb, 8th 200m free pb, and 50m free 15th.

Michael Aylin, although not reaching the higher places swam to pbs in 50m back 23rd, 50m breast 9th, 4x25m i.m 13th, 50m fly 16th and 50m free 25th. He can go away gaining valuable experience from these galas.

Boys captain Gavin Best swam 100m free 7th, 50m free 5th, 100m fly 6th and 50m fly 4th in all pb times.

Matthew Mingo gained 50m back 11th and 200m free 10th, Amelia Allen 50m breast 18th and 50m free 21st. Matthew Webber 50m breast 9th . These were all pb swims.

Imogen MacCullock, not to be outdone by the boys , swam to a new pb in the 100m fly, here she came away with her best swim to date in club colours by achieving a 2nd place. She also swam 100m back 9th pb, 50m fly 7th pb and 200m free 11th.

The swims are calculated into points, these are known as bagcats. Because of the very good swimming in the 10 years age group Alex was placed as overall 2nd. Nick Mingo will be chuffed to find that he also gets a plaque for coming in 6th.