Ealing Swimming Club have had two busy weekends of competition. On the 17th and 18th May swimmers competed successfully in Hatfield’s UK Challenge meet which attracted teams from a wide area of the country and afforded strong competition for the swimmers.The meet was run short course and age bands were 10/12, 13/14, 15/16 and 17 and over with open A and B finals for the 50m and 100m events.

The Ealing team notched up fifteen gold medals – Gina Heyn (23) won five with victories in the 100m breaststroke and 50m freestyle – both open category and A final and the 200m medley. Gina was also second in the A final of the 100m freestyle which was dominated by Ealing swimmers – six out of the eight contestants. Jenna Turner (17) was third in that final, having won gold in her age band with Polly Kenp-King (15) fifth, Lauren Turner (14) sixth, Holly Mills (19) seventh and Elizabeth Griskova (17) eighth.

Lauren Turner was herself a gold medal winner – in the 13/14 100m backstroke and freestyle and the 200m backstroke while Holly Mills won the open 200m backstroke and 400m freestyle. Lauren also gained the silver in the 100m backstroke A final and  Holly did likewise in the 200m freestyle. Elizabeth Griskova, a newcomer to the Club, also won the silver in the 50m freestyle  open category and A final.

James Crawford (19) had another good meet, winning gold medals in the 200m freestyle and medley and silvers in the 200m backstroke and 100m backstroke and 50m freestyle – both open category and A final.

Charlie Turner (23) won both the open and A final of the 100m freestyle while Joao Matias set a new Angolan national record when he came second in the A final of the 100m butterfly in 56.48 seconds. He also won silvers in the open 100m butterfly and the B final of the 100m freestyle. Other silver medals were won by Polly Kemp-King in the 15/16 100m freestyle and Daniel Crawford (16) in the 200m butterfly and bronze medals were won by Eamon Haroun (12) – 400m freestyle; James Crawford - open category and A final of the 100m butterfly; Lauren Turner – 200m freestyle; Melako Coker (14) - 13/14 100m breaststroke; Alex Bandarian (12) – 10/12 100m backstroke and Laura McDonnell (12) - 10/12 100m breaststroke.

Swimmers who ranked in the top eight of their events were Alex Bandarian (nine events); Ade Coker and Eamon Haroun (4 events); Melako Coker, Ramsey Haroun, Joao Matias, Polly Kemp-King, Sophie Shafique (15), and Rohan Singh (3 events); Louise and Edward Howard (two events) and Hannah Cierebiej-Jeffery (12), Daniel Crawford, Laura McDonnell and Zak Shafique (15).