Anaconda Swimming Club grab National Arena League glory

MEMBERS of Anaconda Swimming Club (pictured) secured their place in the top flight of the National Arena League on Saturday with a storming series of swims at Southbury Leisure Centre.
Captain of the Cally Pool squad Leo Kirby led from the front, winning his open backstroke event and scooping silver in the open 200m individual medley with a personal best time.
The 15 and under boys’ team ripped up the club record books.
The superb quartet of Dominic McLoughlin, Andrew Boadi, Joe Grubb and John Rivers won their freestyle relay.
Rivers continued his scintillating form to smash another club record in the 100m freestyle with a victorious time of 57.75 secs,
while McLoughlin produced record-breaking swims in his 100m backstroke and butterfly events
The 15 and under girls’ team contributed vital points, with Lauren Speirs, Harley Greer, Chelcie Coyne and Kathleen Bartha taking bronze in the medley relay.
Morgan Mockler then replaced Coyne in the team line-up to help drive Anaconda to silver success in the freestyle relay.
In the individual ranks, Morgan also won a silver in the girls’ 13 and under breaststroke.
Anaconda showed off the great potential within the club, which is based in Caledonian Road, Islington.
In the 10 to 11-year-old age group, Ethan Harrington raced to victory in the backstroke, while Aimee-Rose Nahal produced great swims to take second spot in the butterfly and third place in the backstroke.
Maisie Parker and Redi Qosja also both gained highly commendable third-place finishes in the freestyle. The young relay team members, who included Iona Ocak, Megan Thompson, Fred Celul and Fred Goudie, were consistent throughout the competition and never finished lower than third.
STEVE BARNETT