Children are going to great lengths (From Barry And District News)

Children are going to great lengths

BARRY Amateur Swimming Club took part in the British Long Distance Postal swim, in which competitors have an hour to swim as many lengths of the pool as they can.

This competition is open to competitors across Britain.

Members of the club from age seven upwards took part.

There were some fantastic swims. In the youngest category of under 10, for the girls Georgia Looker (who was only seven) swam 112 lengths and Balazs Vincze (just nine) for the boys swam 132 lengths.

These two will surely finish very high up when the results are announced.

In the 10 and 11 year age group, Hannah Palfrey managed an excellent 124 lengths and Owain Roberts a well-earned 113.

Moving up to age 12 and 13, Ami Byles swam very well to finish 136 lengths and Marcell Davies worked hard to swim 129 lengths.

In the 14 and 15 year age bracket, Leanne Cody swam an extremely hard-earned 137 lengths and Niall Pratt was the star of the night with a whopping 156 lengths.

Rachel Morgan at 16 will be entered in the open category and she did a very respectable 129 lengths. Simon Lawson, also in the open category, did a magnificent 141.

Several swimmers improved their own records by considerable distances.

Alice Lewis went from 75 to 113, Balazs Vincze went from 99 last year to 132 this year, and Lindsay Kerslake also improved from 72 to 101.

Special mention must go to Simon Perry who, despite being a relative newcomer to the club, pushed Niall all the way and managed to swim a magnificent 151 lengths.

The best novices were Rhys Palfrey 119 (aged nine), Tara Gulwell 96 (aged eight), Tamas Vincze 101 (aged seven) and Cameron Sleeth 101 (aged eight).

There were two brave master swimmers who took part alongside the energetic youngsters, Judith Dutton (119 lengths) and Larry Cody (112).

The whole evening was a testament to the hard working swimmers of Barry Amateur Swimming Club.