Swimming gala proves a tough one for Cirencester (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Swimming gala proves a tough one for Cirencester

CIRENCESTER Swimming Club faced a tough contest in a friendly gala last Saturday evening against three strong opponents - hosts Stroud, Brockworth and Thornbury - and a challenging programme of events.

But Cirencester didn't have too long to wait long for their first success when Eve Barry took command of the girls' 15/under 100m freestyle with an elegant win in 1min 7.91sec.

Dan Beebee, with a devastating time of 1-11.48, won the boys' 13/under 100m butterfly, a spectacular time for this age group. He also took the boys' 13/under 100m individual medley recording in 1-15.63.

Notable second places went to Sophie Brown (girls' 9/U 50m breaststroke and girls' 9/U 50m backstroke), Christina Shelley (girls' 13/U 100m butterfly and girls' 13/U 100m freestyle), mixed 11/U medley relay team of Nia Glover/Michael Sleight/ Matt Reynolds/Charlotte Blam-pied, Jenny Webster (up an age group) in the ladies' open 100m freestyle, Brian Ingham in an exciting, closely fought men's 100m freestyle (an excellent time of 57.94), Jenny Manners (girls' 15/U breaststroke), Charlotte Blampied (girls' 9/U 50m butterfly), Matt Reynolds (boys' 11/U 50m freestyle), the mixed 15/U medley relay team of Jenny Webster/Charlie Allen/Jenny Manners/Karl Collett, the mixed 13/U relay team of Charlie Ingham/Emily Blampied/ Christina Shelley/Dan Beebee, Laura Soutter (up an age group) in the ladies' open 100m breaststroke, Thomas Hansell (boys' 9/U 50m backstroke), Charlie Ingham (boys' 13/U individual medley), Dan Beebee (up an age group) in the boys' 15/U individual medley in an excellent time of 1-13.86 and the boys' 13/U 100m breaststroke), Michael Sleight (boys' 11/U 50m breaststroke), mixed 9/U medley relay team of Sophie Brown/Thomas Hansell/Daniel Gregory/Char-lotte Blampied and the mixed 13/U medley relay of Charlie Ingham/Emily Blampied/Dan Beebee/Christina Shelley.

At the end of this well organised and smoothly run gala, an under-strength Cirencester team finished a creditable third.

Results: 1 Stroud 167 points, 2 Brockworth 140, 3 Cirencester 121, 4 Thornbury 115.