Diddy Trophy Gala – Braunstone March 2018: Times and Report

Braunstone Leisure Centre – 24th March 2018

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A team consisting of very young swimmers – some making debuts – and many more swimming in a rare gala gave us a novice team for the annual journey to Braunstone. The superb 8 lane pool and electronic timing would make most kids nervous…………..all we had was smiles and the best kids in the gala in terms of spirit. They all cheered each other on – we won loudest team of the night – and while parents arrived with understandable nerves they all left at 8.30 with pride in what the young team achieved.

Debuts (excluding BASC hosted gala) went to Isabella Holt, Seb Jones, Yuri Oliferuks and Finlay Pearson. The rest of the team was Emily Copley, Bella Richards, Lana Clamp, Freya Smith, Georgia Ulyett, Issy Mills, Bella Smith, Lilia Beresford, Ruby Welsford, Jaina Muogbo, Katie Smith, Scarlett Perry, Katie Smith, Dylan Campbell, Jonathan Stimpson, Lucas Joubert, Harry Preston, Oliver Frost, Jasper Saunders, Max Llewellyn, James Copley, Edan Maxwell, James Williams – plus junior captains Harrison Jones and Ella Cooper travelling to support and help their team mates.

Burton Barracudas Diddy Team : Diddy Trophy Gala – Braunstone 2018.

The gala is designed to encourage clubs to let kids get a swim in a gala environment – therefore the ‘speeding ticket’ system was in place to stop rewarding clubs swimming kids with experience. Some clubs adopted the league approach of faster kids getting individual races – all our kids got at least 2 races and it was a total team effort on the night – the faster kids selected for relays or a different stroke to what they normally swim for the club.

The teams on show included the defending champions and hosts Braunstone A, Swadlincote, Neptune A, Coalville, Neptune B, Braunstone B and Burton – from the start it was clear Braunstone A had no intention of letting the title leave without a fight – but both local clubs ( Burton and Swadlincote) were showing from the start a level of great swimming that was credit to both clubs.

Burton Barracudas Diddy Team : Diddy Trophy Gala – Braunstone 2018.

The early results saw just 4 points between the top 3 – we had travelled hoping to gain experience but started to wonder if we may leave with silverware and a 29th gala win in 4 years?

10 First Places

Harry Preston – 25m breast
Harrison Jones, James Copley, Edan Maxwell and Oliver Frost – free relay
Edan Maxwell – 25m back
Seb Jones, Jonathan Stimpson, Dylan Campbell and Lucas Joubert – medley relay
Georgia Ulyett, Ruby Welsford, Ella Cooper and Scarlett Perry – medley relay
Harrison Jones, James Copley, Oliver Frost and Edan Maxwell – medley relay
Yuri Oliferuks – 25m free
Jasper Saunders – 25m free
Freya Smith, Bella Smith, Georgis Ulyett, Scarlett Perry, Ella Cooper and Lilia Beresford – breast relay for girls
Jonathan Stimpson, Lucas Joubert, Harry Preston, Jasper Saunders, James Copley and Harrison Jones – breast relay for boys

10 Second Places

Georgia Ulyett – 25m breast
Lilia Beresford, Ruby Welsford, Ella Cooper and Katie Smith – free relay
Jonathan Stimpson – 25m breast
Isabella Holt, Bella Smith, Issy Mills and Jaina Muogbo – medley relay
James Williams, Harry Preston, Jasper Saunders and Max Llewellyn – medley relay
Dylan Campbell – 25m free
Issy Mills – 25m back
Scarlett Perry – 25m breast
James Copley – 25m breast
Free Cannon Team

8 Third Places

Emily Copley – 25m back
Emily Copley, Lana Clamp, Bella Richards and Freya Smith – free relay
Lucas Joubert, Dylan Campbell, Seb Jones and Yuri Oliferuks – free relay
Georgia Ulyett, Issy Mills, Isabella Holt and Bella Smith – free relay
Jasper Saunders, Max Llewellyn, Harry Preston and Finlay Pearson – free relay
Freya Smith, Lana Clamp, Emily Copley and Bella Richards – medley relay
Bella Richards – 25m free
Lana Clamp – 25m free

Therefore in 28 of the 39 races we came in the top 3

Overall Result:

A very pleasing 1st place was gained –but key was loads of experience gained and smiles – was quite funny seeing kids smiling as the raced past the team mates cheering them on. A HUGE NUMBER OF PB TIMES AND OUR YOUNGEST SQUAD DID SUPERB!!!!

Massive credit to all the coaches who have been working in the little pool as 25% of our team came from this section 5 and 6 last night – they all got over the nerves to leave with huge smiles on their faces and recorded 44 PB times between them over the 39 races ( including Relay Splits)

Joint STAR SWIMMERS – Harry Preston and Jasper Saunders – both winning individual races and a relay – plus coming top 3 in other relays on the night

STAR RACE – Goes to Yuri Oliferuks for winning his individual race on his debut for Burton SC

The night ended with Harrison and Ella collecting the trophy and then lots of photos of the fantastic kids as we celebrated another big win for the Barricudas.

Huge thank you to all new parents for letting the kids have a go – massive thanks to Ian Gates, Simon Ward, Jo Stimpson and Sophie Fowkes for coaching the team – Simon Smith, Claire Saunders, Rachel Copley and Emily Ulyett for looking after the kids and sending them to the right races – and to Karen Cooper, Helen Williams and Paul Smith for timing – And HUGE thank you to Mary Bonner and Craig Day for attending as our required official / starter on the night

Well done everyone!!!!!!