aELEVEN Mount Kelly Swimmers headed north for the Scottish Senior (short course) Swimming Championships in Edinburgh earlier this month to take on some of the best swimmers in Europe.

The Belgian Olympic Squad were competing along with the likes of Scottish breaststroke superstars Ross Murdoch and Michael Jamieson at the Royal Commonwealth Pool, Edinburgh.

With 42 personal best performance times, nine finalists, one new Mount Kelly senior record and 15 new age group records, Mount Kelly swimmers made a positive impact on these early season championships.

It was 16 year-old Alex Seymour who was first up for Mount Kelly. Alex swam a lifetime best in the final of the 200m backstroke to set a new Mount Kelly senior record  in 2 minutes 02.34 seconds. Alex was on great form all weekend and produced a string of best performance times qualifying too for the final of the 400m individual medley in 4.35.06.

Molly Peters, aged 15, set a new age group record in the heats of the 100 breaststroke (1.12.87) to qualify for her first ever senior final. Molly replicated this also in the 50m breaststroke finishing second in the B final. 

William Luckham Down, 17, produced a big break through swim in the 100m freestyle to establish a personal best (53.13). Will led from start to finish in his heat, ahead of Scotland’s finest young sprinters. Will also produced another great PB in the 100m individual medley (61.47) and the 50m breaststroke (30.83). 

14 year-old Lauren Hession had a stunning weekend setting three new Mount Kelly age group records — the women’s 100m freestyle in a new PB of 58.65; the 50m freestyle (27.11) and the 50m backstroke (31.05). Lauren went on to produce best performance times in the 100m individual medley (68.49) and the 100m fly (67.75).

Tom Brew, 14, broke the Mount Kelly age group records in the 50m and 100m fly (27.59 and 59.73 respectively). He went on to produce PB swims in the 400m individual medley (4.51.09), 200m fly (2.13.97), 100m individual medley (63.07) and 400m freestyle (4.16.11).

16 year-old Andy Paige smashed his PB by six seconds in the 200m breaststroke (2.22.63) qualifying for the final and setting a new Mount Kelly age group record. He also improved his 400m freestyle (4.16.11) 100m breaststroke (66.34) and the 200 individual medley (2.10.81). Andy had a clean sweep of eight swims and eight best performance times and came away as Mount Kelly’s most improved swimmer of the championships.

15 year-old Abi Rawlings smashed her lifetime best in the 50m and 100m breaststroke (34.83 and 1.14.21 respectively) while Eddie Maddocks, aged 14, set PBs in the 200m freestyle (1.58.93) and made a big breakthrough in the 100m backstroke (61.50).

Michael Alcorn, 16, qualified for the 50m breaststroke final (in 29.99) where he improved his own record again in a terrific swim to finish fourth (29.80). Michael swam six events and six PBs. Jake Bentley, 16, produced PBs in the 100m fly (61.09), 200m individual medley (2.13.57) and the 10m backstroke (61.42). 14 year-old Jacob Newcombe also had three PBs in the 200m individual medley (2.17.98), 50m backstroke (28.47) and the 100m backstroke (60.73).

Sixteen Mount Kelly swimmers are competing this week at the English National Short Course  Championships which start this Thursday at the Ponds Forge International Pool in Sheffield.