Sunderland dominated the thirteen year old girls’ events at Middlesbrough’s 12th Open gala with golden girl, Jodi Bunker winning an amazing eight gold medals and two silver medals and Amy Henshaw finishing the weekend with an impressive eight medals: two gold medals, three silver medals and three bronze. Racing commenced on the Friday evening at the Neptune Centre and Jodi topped the podium twice in the 200 I/M and the 400m freestyle. Over the following two days of competition, Jodi was first in the breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle events at both the 100m and 200m distances. Jodi completed her medal haul with silver medals in the 100m and 200m backstroke events and finished as top girl in her age group. Amy won gold in the 100m and 200m backstroke, silver in the 200 I/M, 100m and 200m butterfly and bronze in the 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle events. The girls also set fourteen new personal best times between them.
The younger girls also recorded some excellent results with 12 year old Natalya Sharp winning a double gold in the 100m and 200m breaststroke events while ten year old Lara Greggs won gold in the 200m backstroke and breaststroke events, silver in the 100m breaststroke and backstroke events and a bronze medal in the 200m freestyle event.
Fourteen year olds Freya Rayner, Gabrielle Burdess and Lauren Patterson won 12 medals between them. Freya set new club records in the 100m butterfly, coming second in a time of 1:06.55 minutes and in the 100m backstroke where she finished first in a time of 1:04.17 minutes.  Freya added a second gold and a bronze to her total for the weekend, from the 100m freestyle and 200m backstroke events. Gabrielle was in fine form throughout the weekend, winning two gold, three silver medals and one bronze medal in the 200m freestyle and breaststroke, the 100m breaststroke and freestyle, the 200 I/M and the 200m butterfly events. Lauren Patterson won two bronze medals in the 100m and 200m breaststroke and set seven personal best times.
The senior girls added a further 20 medals to the club’s healthy medal tally. Lucy Walton, 15, won seven of these: four silver medals in the 100m and 200m breaststroke, 200m butterfly and backstroke events and three bronze medals in the 200 I/M, 400m freestyle and 100m backstroke. Her time of 2:23.75 in the 200m I/M was a new club record and she finished as top girl in her age group. Sixteen year olds Lucy Ellis and Emma Sinclair and Lida Abrie, 17, won a hat trick of medals each. Lucy was first in the 400m freestyle, second in the 200m freestyle and third in the 200m backstroke events. Emma was  first in the 100m butterfly and third in the 100m and 200m breaststroke events. Lida was first in the 100m backstroke and third in the 200m breaststroke and backstroke events. Eighteen year old Jennifer Tatters won four silver medals in the 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle and in the 200m backstroke and set five personal best times.
Winning six gold medals and setting two new club records was sixteen year old Adam Taylor. He swam to victory in the 100m and 200m backstroke, butterfly and freestyle events and set club records in the 200m butterfly (2:09.14 minutes) and in the 100m butterfly (56.53 seconds). He also finished as top boy in his age group.
Joe Middleton, 18, won a silver medal and two bronze medals in the 200m backstroke and the 100m butterfly and 200m freestyle events. James Burns, 15, set a club record in the 400m freestyle with a time of 4:09.64 minutes and won a bronze medal. He won a further three bronze medals in the 100m and 200m freestyle and the 200m backstroke events. Joshua Campbell finished third in the 200m breaststroke event. Callum Reveley, 14, won three silver medals in the 200m I/M, 100m and 400m freestyle events and bronze medals in the 100m and 200m butterfly, setting six personal bests. Thirteen year old Thomas Burns also won five medals, finishing second in the 400m freestyle and 100m backstroke and third in the 200m I/M, backstroke and freestyle events. Joseph Pomfret, 13, won bronze medals in the 100m and 200m butterfly and set seven personal best times.
For the younger boys, J.J. Robins set eight personal bests, won 10 medals and finished as top boy in his age group. He finished first in the 200m I/M and 200m backstroke and breaststroke events and second in the 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle, 100m and 200m butterfly, 100m backstroke and breaststroke events. Ten year olds Joe Whelan and Tom Brumwell rounded up the medal tally by winning a further seven medals. Joe was third in the 200 backstroke and sixth in the 200 I/M and Tom finished third in the 100m breaststroke and 200m backstroke, fourth in the 100m backstroke and sixth in the 200m breaststroke and freestyle events.
This gala saw the club win 100 medals, set six new short course club records and achieve many personal best times sealing another successful meet for the club.