A team of 51 Enniskillen Lakelanders’ swimmers triumphed over opponents Olympia Swimming Club from Belfast at the Lakeland Forum, Enniskillen in the second round of this season’s Aquasprint League on Saturday, April 1.

Starting point

The competition is a starting point for the younger swimmers to gain experience racing in all four strokes in individual and relay events over 25m and began with the Medley Relays.

Lakelanders began with a Group A win by Clara Leonard, Niamh Howell, James McSorley and Michael Carron.

Group B followed suit with another win for Crea Mullin, Emmett Coyle, Sophie Hanna and Daire Burke. Group C hit the wall with only 0.022seconds off the winning spot for Martha McCreesh, Emma Speer, Sam Curran and Darragh Collins. Lakelanders’ Group D of Erin Salcedo, Ryan Mongan, Ava Neal and Enda Burke claimed the win to leave the Enniskillen side with the upper hand moving into the individual events.

The Backstroke races produced first places for Michael Carron, Sophie Hanna, Daire Burke, Martha McCreesh, Ava Neal and Enda Burke. second places were won by Clara Leonard, Jakub Mikievicz Lumayad, Crea Mullin, Myleene Leonard and Erin Salcedo, while further team points were picked up by Mollie Kate Brewster, Emmett Coyle, Darragh Collins, Anton Neal, Russell Mikievicz Lumayad, Niamh Howell, James McSorley, Katie McGowan, Charles Armstrong, Shannon Brennan, Sam Curran, Katie James and Ryan Mongan

The Breaststroke round saw more great swimming by the Lakelanders with first positions for Kealan Rice, Keira Salcedo, Emma Speer and Enda Burke, with second places for Michael Carron, Sophie Hanna, Charles Armstrong, Jessica Millar, Darragh Collins and Ava Neal.

Valuable points for the club total were also picked up by Niamh Howell, Clara Leonard, Daire Burke, Anton Neal, Erin Salcedo, Ryan Mongan, Caelan Moore, Maia Rolston McAuliffe, James McSorley, Ella Neal, Emmett Coyle, Martha McCreesh, Sam Curran and Holly Barkley. After this round the Lakelanders had stretched their lead further and the score was 111 to 85.

Head coach Ben Wiffen has put a lot of work into boosting the young swimmers’ performance in the gruelling Butterfly stroke and this was shown on the day with five first spots and five second places, ensuring the Lakelanders held their lead heading into the Freestyle round.

Mollie Kate Brewster, Michael Carron, Sophie Hanna, Martha McCreesh and Ava Neal led the way in their races along with seconds for James McSorley, Keira Salcedo, Daire Burke, Maeve Rolston McAuliffe and Erin Salcedo.

Clara Leonard, Charles Armstrong, Darragh Collins, Finlay Walker, Enda Burke, Russell Mikievicz Lumayad, Niamh Howell, Jakub Mikievicz Lumayad, Katie McGowan, Emmett Coyle, Myleene Leonard, Sam Curran, Tori Reid and Ryan Mongan also racked up the points on the board.

The last individual event was the Freestyle where the Lakelanders saw first spots from Michael Carron, Keira Salcedo, Emma Speer, Erin Salcedo and Enda Burke.

Valuable second places were won by James McSorley, Sophie Hanna, Daire Burke, Myleene Leonard and Ava Neal. Again further point scoring by Clara Leonard, Mollie Kate Brewster, Charles Armstrong, Darragh Collins, Sam Curran, Russell Mikievicz Lumayad, Niamh Howell, Jakub Mikievicz Lumayad, Crea Mullin, Emmett Coyle, Martha McCreesh, Anton Neal, Holly McCabe and Ryan Mongan.

In an exciting final event, the Enniskillen swimmers won three out of the four Freestyle relays.

The MVS (Most Valuable Swimmer) award for the Lakelanders went to Michael Carron who secured three firsts in his individual events and was also on two winning relay teams.

Following speeches from the team Captains of Ava Neal and Ryan Mongan, the final result was announced; Enniskillen Lakelanders 224 and Olympia 173.

Team Gala Co-ordinator and Club Chairperson Aideen Speer was extremely proud of all the swimmers and of their individual achievement as were their families.

The success of the swimmers and the smooth running of the event was a credit to the parent volunteers who were ably assisted by a team of senior swimmers, all supporting the stellar work of the coaching team led by Ben Wiffen and Clare Morris.

The club expresses their gratitude to Lough Erne Resort and Western Cars Enniskillen for their continued support.

The young Lakelanders will now set their sights on facing Monaghan-based Sliabh Beagh Swimming Club in the next round on May 6 at the Coral Leisure Centre in Monaghan.