City of Sunderland hosted their first home gala of the season and it proved particularly successful for the club with its swimmers winning 98 medals in individual events, 7 relay medals and a further 14, 4th – 6th place medals for the nine and ten year olds.  Sunderland entered a sizeable squad of 64 swimmers ranging in age from nine to adult to compete in this Level 3, three day meet. Racing commenced on the Friday evening with the 800m and 1500m freestyle distance events. Once again the event attracted clubs from all over the region and beyond to provide five sessions of excellent competition.
Sunderland’s boys were in top form with Adam Boxall, 13, and Joseph Pomfret, 14, each winning seven medals. Adam finished 1st in the 100m freestyle, 50m backstroke and 200 I/M, 2nd in the 100m and 200m backstroke events, the 200m freestyle and 50m butterfly setting 6 new PBs along the way. Joseph was first in the 100m freestyle and 200m butterfly, second in the 100m and 200m breaststroke (achieving significant PBs in both) and in the 100m backstroke and finished third in the 400m freestyle and 100m butterfly events.
Not far behind in the medal standings were 13 year olds Connor Steels and J.J. Robins who won 6 medals each. Connor won a hat trick of gold medals in the 50m and 100m butterfly and the 50m freestyle and matched this feat with a hat trick of silver medals in the 50m and 100m breaststroke events and in the 100m freestyle, setting PBs in 6 events. J.J. won gold in the 400 I/M, was second in the 1500m freestyle, 200m breaststroke and butterfly events and won bronze medals in the 100m butterfly and 400m freestyle.
Kieran Peart, 17, and Matthew Phillips, 14, went home with 4 medals. Kieran finished first in the 50m freestyle, second in the 50m backstroke and breaststroke events and was third in the 200m freestyle while Matthew won gold in the 1500m freestyle, silver in the 50m freestyle and bronze medals in the 50m butterfly and 100m breaststroke events, achieving 4 PBs.
The remaining 6 medals won by the older boys were a silver and bronze to Callum Walker, 16, in the 100m and 200m breaststroke respectively, and a bronze medal each to 15 year old Tom and twelve year old Joe Whelan, a gold medal to Jack Tallentire, 17 and a bronze medal to Khristian Dungca, 11.  Tom finished third in the 1500m freestyle with a new PB and Joe was third in the 100m backstroke and improving his times in 5 events. Jack was first in the 50m butterfly event while Khristian finished 3rd in the 100m breaststroke with a new PB.
The girls’ medal tally was equally impressive with Lara Greggs, 11, and Rachel Taylor, 14 winning 6 medals each and Lucy Ellis, 17, Emma Cassell, 16, and 13 year old Elizabeth Clements swimming their way to the podium in 5 events.
Lara won gold in the 50m backstroke, won silver medals in the 100m and 200m backstroke event and in the 200m breaststroke and freestyle events and won a bronze medal in the 50m butterfly, setting 2 PBs. Rachel won a hat trick of silver and bronze medals in the following events: 50m freestyle, 50m backstroke, 200m backstroke, 100m freestyle, 400 I/M and 50m butterfly respectively and also achieved 2 PBs.
Winning 5 medals: 2 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze, Lucy triumphed in the 50m butterfly (with a new PB), 200m freestyle, 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle and 200m breaststroke events respectively. Emma finished 1st in the 400 I/M, was second in the 800m freestyle, 200m I/M, 100m breaststroke and 400m freestyle. Emma missed out on gold in the 400m freestyle by less than a tenth of a second but achieved a new PB. Elizabeth also won 4 silver medals: 200 I/M, 100m breaststroke, 100m butterfly and 100m freestyle and finished third in the 200m freestyle.
Ana Lazar, 13, Natalya Sharp, 13, Alexandra Clements, 15, and 13 year old Alisha Ballantine won 12 medals between them. Ana won a silver medal in the 200m butterfly with a new PB and was third in the 50m butterfly, 100m and 400m freestyle events. Natalya recorded strong performances in the butterfly events to finish first in the 100m event, second in the 50m event and 3rd in the 200m event with new PBs at the 50m and 100m distances. Alexandra was first in the 50m backstroke and third in the 100m and 200m backstroke events while Alisha finished with a gold medal in the 100m freestyle with a new PB and was third in the 200m backstroke.
Completing the medal results for the older girls winning a medal each: Lida Abrie, 18, gold in the 200m breaststroke, Darcy Palmer, 15, bronze in the 400 I/M with a new PB, Chloe Middleton,15, bronze in the 100m breaststroke, Vanessa Rubio, 12, silver in the 50m freestyle achieving a 5 PBs at the meet, Laura-Jayne Smith, 12, third in the 200m backstroke, setting new PBS in each of her events, Alicia Barnes, 11, silver in the 50m freestyle, Lydia Matterson, bronze in the 200m breaststroke (set 6 PBs) and Gemma Sproates, 11, bronze in the 50m backstroke in a new PB.
Many of the club’s younger swimmers aged 9 and 10, took to the water and it was great to see them competing so well throughout the weekend. Imogen Nichols, 10, had an excellent weekend, winning a gold medal in the 200m freestyle, bronze medals in the 50m freestyle and 100m breaststroke and winning 4th place medals in the 50m butterfly, 50m breaststroke and 100m freestyle events, achieving PBs in each.
Ayumi Faulds and Fran Proctor, both 9, won two bronze medals each. Ayumi was 3rd in the 50m freestyle and 50m backstroke and was 4th in the 50m butterfly while Fran was third in the 50m breaststroke and 200m breaststroke, 4th in the 50m freestyle and 6th in the 50m backstroke events.
Layla Trueman, 9, won a bronze medal in the 200m freestyle and finished 5th and 6th respectively in the 50m freestyle and 50m backstroke events. Georgia Richardson, 10, finished 3rd in the 100m backstroke with a new PB.
Elyssa Palmer, 9, Megan Belton, 10, Yuki Faulds, 9 and Cian Coyne, 9 all won 4th – 6th place medals. Elyssa was 4th in the 50m freestyle and backstroke events, Megan finished 5th and 6th respectively in the 50m freestyle and 100m backstroke events, Yuki picked up a 5th place medal in the 50m butterfly and Cian, making his debut for the club, won a 6th place medal in the 50m freestyle event. Also making their debuts were Tilly Abbott, 9, and Shania Durham, 12. Lorenzo Corsi, Cameron Fairless and Jessica Ord completed the younger team.
Sunderland dominated the relay events winning three out of the four events. Freya Rayner, Rachel Taylor, Emma Cassel and Lucy Ellis took first place in the 4 x 100m medley while Alexandra Clements, Lida Abrie, Jodi Bunker and Elizabeth Clements finished third. In the girls’ 4 x 100m freestyle relay, Elizabeth Clements, Jodi Bunker, Emmas Cassell and Lucy Ellis finished second, and Alexandra Clements, Anya Sordy, Rachel Taylor and Ana Lazar were third.
For the boys, Mason Jaques, Kieran Peart, Jack Tallentire and Adam Taylor won the 4 x 100m medley relay. Sunderland A (Adam Taylor, Kieran Peart, Andrew Markham and Mason Jaques) finished 1st in the 4 x 100m freestyle relay while Sunderland B (Jack Tallentire, Zak Logue, Matt Wylie and Jay Manners) were second.
This meet provided a valuable opportunity for the club’s youngest swimmers to take part in a gala alongside the club’s more experienced swimmers. It was very pleasing to see so many swimmers from the club in action, but particularly those from the junior squads, many of whom were competing in long course format for the first time. All showed great competitive spirit and promise!