A HIGHLY successful first day for Tavistock Swimming Club at the City of Plymouth Championships at the weekend was followed by an even more successful second day with two swimmers qualifying for the Men?s 100m Championship Breaststroke Final in which Chris Ralph took silver and Michael Best bronze.
In the Age Groups 100m breaststroke, Michael took gold in the 15yrs and Chris silver in the 16 yrs, both swimming personal bests.
With many of Tavistock?s younger swimmers, namely Sam Campbell, Felix Davies, Tom Grennan-Cruise, Charlotte Mellor, Tom Waddington and Rebecca Windemer, competing at an open event for the first time, it was very encouraging to see the number of medals and personal best times recorded.
In the Age Groups, the 200m butterfly gave Sam Campbell a silver with Charlotte Mellor winning bronze in the 200m breaststroke.
Although not in the medals, Rebecca Windemer swam a 25 second personal best in the 100m butterfly and 800m freestyle. Tom Waddington just missed a medal in the 12 yrs 100m breaststroke but nevertheless managed to knock 7 seconds off his previous time.
The more experienced swimmers claimed a number of medals in personal best times with Chris Ralph taking gold in the 50m breaststroke in a very close finish and silver in the 1500m freestyle; Amy Warnett silver in the 800m freestyle; Ross Williams bronze in the 200m butterfly in a Devon County Qualifying Time. Ross swam further personal best times in both the 400m freestyle and 100m breaststroke.
In the 200m backstroke Laura Radgick sliced 28 seconds off her previous time and was placed 5th in the 14 yrs 100m butterfly. Swimming in the same heat was Laura Aspen and Jessica Cooke, both of whom had good swims in personal best times.
Kirsty Best was the only older Tavistock competitor in the 200m breaststroke in which she swam to 7th place.