Eight Enniskillen Lakelanders produced a string of top class performances at the Antrim Open at the weekend to come home with a plethora of medals and Irish Age Group Division One and Division Two Qualifying times.

With four gold medals, two silver and one bronze as well as the qualifying times this was another good day at the office for the young Lakelanders who continue to improve and qualify more and more swimmers for the Irish Championships.

Sorcha Lavelle (13) swimming in the 13/14 age group competed in five events over the two day competition and had a great Meet bringing home two gold medals in the 400m freestyle and 100m breaststroke, a silver medal in the 200m freestyle, a bronze in the 200m breaststroke and top ten finish in the 50m open butterfly. Sorcha also achieved another Irish Division One Time in her 200m freestyle bringing her tally to an amazing seven Irish Division One times to date for the Irish Championships in the NAC Dublin in July.

Ellie McCartney, turned 10 last week, took part in two events over the championships. Ellie recorded short course PBs in both the 200m freestyle and the 200m breaststroke as well as winning the gold medal in each.

13-year-old Caitlin Love swam in six events over the two days with the purpose of securing a second Irish Age Group Division One time. Caitlin swam to new PBs in the 200m backcrawl, 200m breaststroke and 50m butterfly. It was the 200m Individual Medley that saw Caitlin produce her best swim of the competition to make a four second PB, lift the gold medal and best of all another Division One time!

Lewis McCartney showed how much he has improved since gaining his Ulster Qualifying Times in November. Looking for additional IAG Division Two times, Lewis put in a mammoth effort to qualify for the Division One Championships with a time of 5:09.35 in a fantastic race with Oisin McManus.

Indeed, the two Lakelanders pushed each other to the limit for the 16 length race and within six lengths it was clear there was only two people in the race for top spot. Lewis proved the stronger finisher in the final length and took the top spot by just 00.33s to win the gold medal. Lewis also had PBs in 100m backcrawl and 200m IM along with two top 10 finishes in the Age Group.

Oisin McCaffery McManus (12) continued his year of stunning swim successes with a silver medal in the 400m freestyle. However it wasn’t the silverware that had Oisin jumping for joy, it was the superb 19.90 second PB that means he has now moved into Irish Age Groups Division One Championships along side his good friend Lewis McCartney. Oisin narrowly missed out on the medals in his other two events of the day coming fourth in the 100m backstroke and 5th in the 200m IM.

Rachel Evans (13) swam 31.13 seconds in the 50m freestyle event and was 0.13 off another Limerick Division Two time in the 200m freestyle. The 30 second target is well in view now and she would hope with a better start, turn and/or finish to achieve this. Currently she is within two seconds of a Division One time in 100m freestyle a decision between going to Limerick for the Division Two competition or Dublin for Division Onw will need to be made.

Méabh Dolan, age 11, swam in the 200m backcrawl achieving an Ulster Qualifying time in 3:18:22, followed by her final Ulster Qualifying time in the 200m Freestyle in a time of 2:58:51. Méabh is now looking forward to the Swim Ulster Summer Meet in Lisburn in May.

Rhiannon Dolan registered four PBs in her swims over the weekend and is closing in on a Division Two time.

Kealan McShea went to Lisburn to enter his first competitive 200IM swim, and finished nine hundredths of a sec off an Irish Age Group Division Two time finishing in sixth place overall