A small group of swimmers from Barrow Amateur Swimming Club travelled to Harrogate Hydro at the weekend to take part in the Harrogate Junior Open (9/13 girls, 9/14 boys) and enjoyed a huge amount of personal success.

The swimmers were Clara Minnican(10) with PB’s in 200m 400m Freestyle, 50m Backstroke, 200m and 400m IM, Niamh Johnson(10), who has recently returned after receiving a couple of bone injuries which have seen her be unable to train for quite some time, but was able to come away with PB’s in 200m IM, 200m Freestyle, 50m Butterfly and 50m Backstroke, which should boost her confidence now she is back in full-training, Joanna Yates(11) with PB’s in 100m 200m Freestyle, 50m Backstroke and 200 IM, Andrew Kerr(11) with PB’s in 100m and 200m Freestyle, and 200m Backstroke, Andrew McLinden(11) with PB’s in 50m 100 and 200m Freestyle, 50m Backstroke and 200m IM, Fraser Minnican(12) with PB’s in 100m 200m and 400m Freestyle, 50m Backstroke, 200m and 400m IM, Curtis Corrie(12) with PB’s in 50m 100m 200m and 400m Freestyle(overall 4^th place), 50m Butterlfly and 200m IM.

Included in the Personal Bests were and an impressive cluster of medals and placings; with Clara Minnican gaining a 7^th-medal place(50m Freestyle) and two 8^th-medal places(400m IM and 400m Freestyle), Fraser Minnican with a Bronze medal in 400m Freestyle which gains him a new club record, he also gets new club records in 200m Freestyle and 400m IM, and Joanna Yates with a Bronze medal in 200m Freestyle, Silver in 100m Freestyle, which gains her a new club record which previously stood since 1984(N Parkes) and a Silver medal in 50m Freestyle, which gains her the County record, which previously stood since 1995 also a new club record at 50m Backstroke.

Coach, Keith Minnican, said he was extremely proud of all of the swimmers for the total effort and enthusiasm they showed. These lads and lasses have been up against the top swimmers from the whole of the Northern Region, who come from large clubs that get between 18 and 22 hours pool-time a week, whereas at Barrow the A-squad get 7 ½-hours pool-time, which makes their achievements even more remarkable in such a high standard and well attended gala.