SIXTEEN younger Okehampton Otters swimmers aged between 9 and 14 years entered this year?s Devon Development Galas at Tiverton Pool held over two recent weekends during June.

This competition was open to any swimmer not placed in this year?s Devon County Age group or Sprint Championships held earlier this year. A record number of swimmers, some only recently having joined the club entered a total of 51 events with a mighty 36 personal best swims being improved upon. In many cases this equated to scores of seconds being erased from previous best swims ? highlighting the rapid improvement in the club?s younger swimmers over distance.

Six Otters Age Group records were smashed and three new Otters Club records recorded. Club records fell to Michael Aylen 800m freestyle, Tom Aylen 400m freestyle and Charlotte Rowe 800m freestyle.

Age group records fell to nine-year-old Martha Bright (200m freestyle), Tom Aylen, 11, (400m freestyle), Rebecca Ewen, 12, (400m freestyle) and thirteen-year-olds Michael Aylen and Charlotte Rowe (800m freestyle). Michael also improved on the 200m breastroke 13-years Age Group record.

One swimmer, Charlotte Rowe, 13, had a fantastic meeting gaining two Devon County Qualifying times in her 100m and 800m freestyle swims and walked away with five top ten placements one of which was a silver medal for her 800m freestyle swim.

Thirteen other swims resulted in top ten final positions. These were shared between Rebecca Ewen, Tom Aylen, Michael Aylen (6), Kieran Mitchell (3), Rebecca Jarvis and Eloise Allen.

Other swimmers who competed in impressive form were Chloe Sanders, Claire Squire, Hannah Packer, Elona Wonnacott, Emma Jackman, Abigail Stocks, Amelia Allen, Sam Collett and Matthew Harding. Western Counties

Having recently achieved his first Western Counties qualifying time in the Devon County events earlier this year, Matthew Westlake, 12, was recently able to compete at a higher level by swimming against the Region?s finest young 200m backstrokers in the Western Counties Age Group Championships at Millfield. Swimming in the 50 metre pool Matthew swam at near personal best form to finish in a respectable thirteenth position overall.

Earlier in May Jenny Rice, 18, and Rebecca Rowe, 15, competed against the best talents in the Western region in the Western Counties Youth Championships at Millfield. Jenny came away with an impressive three medals in 50m and 100m freestyle (bronze positions) and 200m IM (silver). Rebecca swam a respectable race in her 200m backstroke event.

This year the Otters have seen a fantastic demonstration of swimming at County and Western Regional events and Masters County events. For the relative size of the club this represents something the club and its members should be greatly proud of. With the anticipation of a new pool to train in, the Otters will be looking forward to further successes next year.

The Otters will be having their final swim before the summer break on Friday, July 16 with limited swimming available over the summer holidays. A coffee morning and table sale is organised for Saturday, July 24 at the Church Hall at 9am. The club hopes members and families will make this event a fundraising success.