Young Clarke was top of the class for Deepings Swimming Club in Whittlesey

Oliver Clarke was crowned ‘top boy’ in the 9/10yrs age group as Deepings Swimming Club came away from the March Marlins Autumn Challenge with a sackful of medals, personal bests and county qualifying times.
By Alan Swann
Published 18th Oct 2022, 17:49 BST
Updated 18th Oct 2022, 17:49 BST
Deepings Swimming Club competitors at Whittlesey.Deepings Swimming Club competitors at Whittlesey.
Deepings Swimming Club competitors at Whittlesey.

The team won 30 medals, nine gold, 12 silver and nine bronze, at the Manor Leisure Centre, Whittlesey with Clarke (9) medalling in all eight of his events, attaining impressive county qualifying times in six of them.

Also achieving gold and a county time was Jacob Briers who touched home first in the 50m breaststroke in the 13/14yrs age group and collected bronze and a county time in the 200m freestyle with a seven-second PB.

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Jacob also clinched silver in the 100m breaststroke and bronze in the 100m butterfly.

Mieke McDonald dominated the 11/12yrs butterfly by winning gold in both the 50m and 100m races by considerable margins. Mieke also took a brace of silvers in the 200m freestyle and 200IM, as well as achieving two county qualifying times in the 50m butterfly and 200m freestyle.

The 11/12yrs age group provided rich returns with three more girls collecting medals.

Charlotte Jenkinson took a hat-trick of silvers in the 50m and 100m butterfly and 100m freestyle, plus bronze in the 50m freestyle, Isabella Reynolds won bronze in the 100m breaststroke and 200m freestyle, and Chloe Bellis took bronze in the 100m butterfly.

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Chloe also achieved county qualifying times in the 50m and 100m butterfly.

Isobel Vause collected Deepings’ final gold of the day with victory in the 13/14yrs 200m freestyle in a new PB of 2:37.70, four seconds under her previous best. Isobel claimed silver in the 50m butterfly, swimming the county qualifying time, and 200IM, plus bronze in the 100m breaststroke, showing versatility across a range of strokes.

Three of the youngest swimmers also reached the podium. Competing in the girls 9/10yrs category, Olivia King won silver in the 50m breaststroke and also achieved her first county qualifying time, Annabel Shepherd took bronze in the 100m butterfly and Lucy Jenkinson took bronze in the 50m backstroke while also getting her first county times in that event and the 50m freestyle.

Meanwhile, Annabel’s older brother, Oliver Shepherd, also achieved a county time in the 50m butterfly.