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IT was a great night for all the swimmers and parents who travelled with Redditch Swimming Club to Nuneaton for the Ron Walker Trophy Gala, with the team pulling out probably their best performance of the year to date.

There was strong opposition - two teams from the home club (Nuneaton and Bedworth Dolphins) as well as Camphill Edwardians, Brierley Hill, Stratford Sharks, Droitwich and Fox Hollies - but Redditch took a fantastic second place, finishing a mere six points behind eventual winners Nuneaton "Reds".

Despite several notable absentees, Redditch achieved no fewer than 11 wins and nine second place finishes.

First places went to swimmers in every age group - Charlotte Hooper and William Fidoe for the 9-year-olds, Lydia May for the 10s, Sophie Bridgman (twice) for the 11s, Michaela Britt for the 12s and both Danielle Harwood (twice) and Robert Stanley for the 13s.

There were also relay wins for the 11-year-old girls freestyle team (Hannah Rolls, Samantha Lindsey, Lydia May and Sophie Bridgman) and, in a dramatic and rowdy climax to the evening, the mixed age 10x25 m freestyle team.

This final swim had the whole team cheering themselves hoarse as they urged the 10 swimmers (Nicola Moss, Daniel Bridgman, Lydia May, Taylor Hartley, Sophie Bridgman, Sumant Kapoor, Elizabeth Humphreys, Chris Ball, Bethany May and Robert Stanley) to a convincing victory.

There were also second places for Daniel (9), Lydia (10), Hannah (11) (twice), Elizabeth (12), Robert (13), Bethany (13), and the girls 10 and 13-year-old relay teams and third places for Chris, Elizabeth (twice), Bethany, Nicola and the girls 12-year-old relay team.

The 23 new personal best times achieved from 40 individual swims were testament to the strength of the Redditch swimmers' fine performances.

But Redditch team manager Chris Britt said it was unfair to highlight individual performances on a night when it was really the team effort that had produced such a great result.

He said "It was particularly pleasing to see the enthusiasm the team showed throughout the night.

"Everyone, without exception, was inspired to produce ever better swims for the sake of the team.

"Although it was Danielle and Robert who went up to collect our trophy, we had captains' throughout the team on the night and it was great to see how everyone provided inspiration from poolside, as well as doing their bit in the water.

"Almost every member of the team stayed until the very end and joined the ecstatic celebrations after the final cannon relay win."

Chris did single out some performances for praise - the first appearances for Oliver Thomson and Abigail Humphreys, who both did an excellent job in their respective 9-year-old relay teams; William Fidoe's superb win in his 25m backstroke race; Charlotte Hooper's great breaststroke victory; Nicola Moss' and Dan Bridgman's very good swims in the 9-year-old butterfly races; the two race wins and fine new personal bests for Sophie Bridgman in the butterfly (sub-40 sec for the first time) and freestyle; and another series of terrific performances by Lydia May, Danielle Harwood and Robert Stanley.

The other members of the team were Arran Holmes, Lucy Corden, Gareth Ravenhill, Ben Young, Tyler Sherwood, Adam Watson, James Scott, Joshua Major-Seager and Olivia Laxton.

This success will boost the team's confidence and provide the impetus for more excellent results in the more serious league galas to come during the new season.

12:44pm Wednesday 27th September 2006

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