Another Saturday night, another venue, another time…but the same awesome Portland! Yet again PB after PB, outstanding swims, real grit and determination and, this time more than ever, those very special Portland ingredients of team spirit and sportsmanship. This was a challenging evening but our ‘brilliant bunch’ (quote D. Misiuda), as always, stepped up to the mark.
Let’s start with the 15(!) PBs … a massive 12 seconds for Fran in the 50m breaststroke (keep up the 6 seconds improvement per length Fran!), 5 seconds for Edward’s 100m freestyle (so you’re not just a breaststroker then, Edward) and 3 seconds for Stanley in the 50m fly (and a masterclass in stroke technique as well), plus up to 2 seconds for Ethan (50m free), Mikey (50m fly), Kathy (50m fly), Lucy (100m breast), Connor (100m back), Stanley (100m back), Beatrice (50m fly), Rebecca H (100m back & 100m free), Andrew (50m fly), Molly (50m fly), Emma (100m breast). Congratulations to Raj, Ella and Gabriel for their new times (50m breaststroke, 50m freestyle and 50m backstroke respectively) and to Molly, Andrew and Emma for achieving county qualifying times.
However, as we know, it is not just about PBs so well done to the whole team for another impressive display of your amazing skills in the pool: Stanley, Raj, Andrew, Connor, Cecily, Fran, Emma, Rebecca P, Archie, Edward, Mikey, Olivia, Angelina, Kathy, Rebecca H, Ethan, Ella, Lucy, Gabriel, Beatrice, Ellen, Molly, Jaime and last, but never least, Dom.
A few special mentions:
Angelina, Gabriel and Ella for first time swims for Portland.
Lucy for smiling ALL the way up and down the pool.
Beatrice for coming back from a slip off the blocks to post a PB.
Angelina for amazing underwater work in her leg of the medley relay – we thought we’d lost you!
The 12-14 & 14/U boys relay teams for having average ages of 12½!
Raj in only his 2nd individual swim for a particularly strong incoming 25m to demonstrate how important it is to swim to the end.
Fran, Edward and Ellen Roberts for their obviously inbred talent for breaststroke.
Rebecca H for swim, or should we say, swims of the night in the 14/U 100m backstroke, where she came second by a fingernail, and 100m freestyle, where she trounced the opposition.
Portland finished 5th overall but, more importantly, came 3rd in the Cannon! In the words of our Club Captain, Rebecca P, ‘what is so brilliant about Portland is how everyone always swims their best’. Once again, well done guys – we are all so proud of you.
Thank you as always to the ‘gamesmakers’ for your help on poolside. For those who are new to galas or those who have forgotten, each club at a gala is required to provide a certain number of poolside helpers, so if you feel you would like to help we are always grateful to those volunteering. Please contact [email protected] if you think you can help.
Click here for results.
