Monson go for Gold at the SER Championships

Twenty of Monson's under 15 swimmers travelled to Crawley for the first weekend of the South East Region Swimming Championships. Competing against some of the toughest competition in the region, Monson swimmers broke two regional records on route to 4 golds and 3 bronze medals.

Competing in the 50m Breaststroke Anna Leman (13) and Jemimah Berkeley (12) both comfortably won their age group heats to qualify for the finals. Swimming first in the 12-year-old final Jemimah struck gold in 36.07. Up next in the 13-year-old age group Anna swam a strong race to win gold in 34.54, which set a new south east regional record. Also competing in the girls 50m Breaststroke were Emily Das (14) who achieved a Personal Best time of 36.52 and Holly Hobbs (14) in 38.06.

Monson's boys were not to be outdone in the Breaststroke with Thomas Leman (14) breaking his own 200m regional record in 2:32.82 in the heats on route to gold in the Finals. He also claimed gold in the 100m Breaststroke in 1:09.86. Alex Turton (12), swimming in his first regional championships, smashed his personal best times in both the 100m and 200m Breaststroke in 1:28.02 and 3:11.64 respectively.

Taking on the gruelling 800m Freestyle race, Maddie Burton (14) claimed Bronze in 9:39.02. With little time to rest she then went on to qualify for the final of the 200m Butterfly along with Mia Burns (14) who swam a PB time of 2:37.41 to reach the final. Both girls attacked the final with Maddie narrowly pipped to 4^th with a PB of 2:33.94 and Mia 7^th.

Returning to form, Hannah Lambert (13) took on the 100m Butterfly, comfortably qualifying for the final and went on to win Bronze in 1:08.66. In the boys 50m Fly, Harry Sinclair (12) and Toby Dray (14) both set PBs in 34.83 and 31.42 respectively. Kody Bradbury (13), battling recent injury, narrowly missed out on a PB in 32.42. He also competed in the 100m boys 100m Freestyle in 1:06.54.

Backstroke swimmers Izzy Hillsdon (13) and Fern Devonport (14) took on the 100m event in 1:15.80 and 1:16.74. In the 50m Backstroke the boys were in action with Charlie Crewe (12) swimming 36.68 and Reuben Edwards (13) setting a new PB in 33.75.

In the Girls 50m Freestyle Hannah Lambert swam 30.03, Mia Burns 30.72 and Maddie Burton 29.81.

Monson fielded both an A and B teams for the Girls 200m medley. Drawn in adjacent lanes the girls A team of Izzy Hillsdon, Anna Leman, Mia Burns and Madeleine Burton tussled against the B team of Fern Devonport, Jemimah Berkeley, Hannah Lambert and Jenna Kronholm with the A team winning Bronze and the B team a creditable 9^th place.

In the Boys 200m Freestyle relay the A team of Thomas Leman, Freddy Cunningham, Kody Bradbury and Toby Dray came 15^th whilst the younger B team Reuben Edwards, Cole Bridges, Nathan Friend & Charlie Crewe a creditable 24^th.

To complete a busy weekend Maddie Burton took on the 400m Freestyle to come 9^th in 4:43.70.