Youngsters from Hillingdon Swimming Club took time out from training last week to celebrate their achievements in the pool.
Cups were won, records broken and swimmers competed at national level in a superb display of the sporting form which has made Hillingdon the number one swimming club in London and Hillingdon Council’s club of the year.
Saturday’s annual awards night, at Brunel University, was a chance to reward the hard work and for the 280-plus young swimmers who attended, to let their hair down.
Hillingdon boasts four Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) national champions: Brodie Judge won the 100m and 200m freestyle and 100m butterfly; George Taplin, in the 400m freestyle; Alfie Collins, in the 1500m freestyle; and Alex Kaye, in the 200m individual medley.
Nine Hillingdon swimmers were in the Top 10 at the ASA’s national age and youth competitions and the club were third in the national age groups.
Hillingdon were also London Division One Arena League Champions.
Some 26 club records were set and 48 swimmers, aged seven to 18, were presented with trophies for being the fastest swimmers in 24 events. A further 20 trophies were awarded to novice swimmers who won at the club’s splash night.
Trophies for the most improved swimmers went to Aaron Morgan and Adele Hall, with Emma Kaye and Dillon Chana taking the awards in the elite squad.
Further trophies, sponsored by Pertemps, included the coach’s awards for commitment, good skills and outstanding performances and two swimmers trophies, which went to Emily Heslop (youth) and Ruby Fraser (junior.)
Pertemps Special Recognition Awards for outstanding services to the club went to squad heads Debbie Wilson and Julie Stokes, and the President’s Trophy for outstanding contribution went to membership secretary Sue Dyer.
The Maurice Short Memorial Award was won by Hillingdon’s North London Graded League Team, managed by Trevor Hammond, and Collette Mead won the Emily Sadler Young Volunteer of the Year award for her work helping out with younger swimmers’ training sessions.
