Dunstable enjoy big birthday celebrations

Head Coach Tim Hutton said: “The Hemel Open was absolutely fantastic for Dunstable Swimming Club.

“Every swimmer who attended did a personal best time which is testament to their hard work and great attitude in training. We have a tough run of fixtures up until Christmas, but I’m sure this team can keep achieving and push the club to the next level.”

Kieran Murray got Dunstable off to a great start on day one with a huge personal best of 44.31secs in the 50m front crawl. Alex Neeson also set a PB in the same event with a county qualifying time of 31.11secs and Olly Hibbitt continued his fine form this season by going sub-30 in the same event.

Rachael Dawson returned from injury to claim silver in the 200m breaststroke with a gutsy swim of 3.12mins.

There was a new PB of two seconds for Jamie Hose as he clocked 1.31.37mins in the 100m fly, while Sophie Hose took three seconds off her best in the 50m backstroke.

Morgan White timed a new best of 39.49secs in the same event, while Dawson also set a new PB.

Kieran Morrison and Lachlan Morrison produced great bests on their 100m breaststroke open meet debuts.

The second session saw Murray race to a 27secs PB in the 100m Individual Medley, Connor Seymour knocked 14secs off his best in the event, on his open meet debut, and Will Richards achieved a county time of 1.29.21mins.

Jess Kefford knocked four seconds off her 50m front crawl benchmark with a time of 45.75secs, with Bianka Misikova clocking 46.06secs for a three-second best.

Amy Spicer continued her great start to the season by clocking 39.46secs in the 50m front crawl, just 0.3secs off a county qualifying time. There was a one-second PB for Megan Spicer of 40.44secs and Dunstable’s quickest swimmer, Emma Yule, lowered her best to 28.66secs.

There was a 30secs PB of 3.36.88mins for Will Richards in the 200m breaststroke, while Lachlan and Kieran Morrison set huge bests in the 100m backstroke.

Morgan White marked her progression to the sprint squad by clocking 2.47.46mins in the 200m front crawl and Dawson wrapped up day one with a 1.5-second PB of 2.24.01mins in the 200m front crawl.

Day two brought more success for Dunstable’s already tired-looking swimmers.

Tom Williams produced a fine 26secs PB and county qualifying time in the 200m backstroke.

Aran Flynn McColgan’s time of 1.44mins in the 100m front crawl was a huge best, while ralative newcomer Alex Neeson clocked a new PB of 1.07mins for his second county time in the event.

Powerhouse Hibbitt raced to a new PB of 1.02.81mins in the 100m freestyle and followed it up with a great 50m fly.

There was a new best of 3.46.32mins for Flynn McColgan in the 200m freestyle, while further PBs followed for Williams, 2.39.55mins, and Hibbitt, 2.19mins.

Hose’s great technique paid off in the 50m breaststroke, while Miranda Spoerer, in her first open meet in a number of seasons, produced a great swim in the same event and followed it up with a great best of 1.17mins in the 100m freestyle.

Connor Seymour and Williams both clocked new PBs in the 50m breaststroke with times of 48.67secs and 43.56secs respectively, while Dawson completed the 100m backstroke in a new PB of 1.19.35mins.

Vulcans meet provided rare long course opportunity for Dunstable

The Lincoln Vulcans Open Meet provided a rare opportunity for Dunstable SC swimmers to compete in a long course event on Saturday.

Chantal Smith and Ellie King were in action at Ponds Forge.

King got more practice after her regional success last season in a hard-fought 200m backstroke and came close to her best in the 100m freestyle. She also produced a lightning quick time of 31.14secs in the 50m freestyle.

Smith, produced a huge personal best of 1.17.05mins in the 100m fly and a new PB of 1.04.69mins in the 100m front crawl as she moved even closer to regional qualification.

Head Coach Tim Hutton said: “Ellie and Chantal represented Dunstable Swimming Club brilliantly at the Lincoln Vulcans meet. They are regularly travelling up and down the country to get as much experience as possible and swimming at Ponds Forge will mean a lot to both of them. Well done Girls and keep up the good work.”