Arena League Division 1 - Round 2
Round 2 took place on Saturday 9th November with a relatively short journey to Connahs Quay compared to the road trip to Kendal in Round 1. This time we were up against Crosby, Halton, Crewe Flyers and Liverpool Penguins. The first events were the 200m IM with Emily Morris improving her time from Round 1 by 4 seconds but more importantly finishing second, Tom Barton followed Emily and had the race won after the breaststroke leg. Onto the first block of eight relays in which we achieved two wins, three second, one third and two fourth place finishes. The wins came from our under 15 Girls in the 4 x 50m freestyle, Emily Morris, Rebecca Collier, Connie Urumov and Holly Barden and the Open Men's 4 x 50m medley relay, Criostai Hayden Callen, Tom Barton, Alex Keegan and Joe Evans.
After 12 events we led the gala by three points from Crosby with Crewe third, Halton fourth and Liverpool Penguins 5th. After three second place finishes out the next six races we finally got our first individual win in event 17 from Libby Manning in the Open Ladies 100m Butterfly and she followed this up with another win in event 25 when she won the Open Ladies 100m Backstroke. In between Libbys wins Connie Urumov won the under 15 Girls 100m Butterfly with a massive 4 second pb. After 24 events we still led the gala but only by a point from Crosby. Criostai Hayden Callen won event 26. the Open Men's Backstroke, as did Tom Barton in event 34, the Open Mens 100m Breaststroke. We didn't have to wait long for our next two wins, event 38 saw Eric Byrne winning the Boys 13 and under 100m Freestyle and Emily Morris winning the 15 and under Girls 100m Breaststroke. After 40 events we were now joint first with Crosby on 147 points with Halton 3rd on 125 points.
On to the last block of relays we achieved two first place finishes, two second, two third and two fourth. Again the winning relays came from the under 15 Girls in the 4 x 50m Medley relay, Sydney King, Emily Morris, Rebecca Collier and Holly Barden and the Men's Open 6 x 50m Freestyle relay, Criostai Hayden Callen, Eric Byrne, Alex Keegan, Jason Rawlins Williams, Joe Evans and Tom Barton. It should be noted that the Open Men's and Girls under 15 relay teams have won both their relays in Rounds 1 and 2 which is an excellent achievement considering the quality of opposition.
During the gala we also achieved thirteen individual second placed swims from Ted McCarthy, Layla Prince, James Fazakerley, Tom Wilde, Olivia Lee, Holly Barden, Lily Anna Ireland, Erin Jess, Tom Wilde and Joe Evans.
And so the final points and agonisingly we just fell short with Crosby winning the gala with 184 pts with ourselves 2nd on 179 pts followed in 3rd by Halton on 152 pts, Crewe Flyers 4th with 144 pts and 5th Liverpool Penguins on 85 pts.
A really exciting gala and one of those night that everyone involved with Garston Swimming Club can be proud of.