Lecale swimmers finish with splash

Lecale swimmers finish with splash

4 July 2012

LECALE ASC brought their season to a close with the annual meeting and prize night, with the evening very well attended by swimmers and their families, with all eyes on the tables of medals and silverware.

Lecale chairman, Paul Naughton, spoke highly of the swimmers’ achievements throughout the year, their commitment to training and their performances in swim meets at all levels.

Thanks were also extended to the team of parents who volunteer to help run the club and to those help out at meets. Sports clubs would flounder if it weren’t for the volunteers.

Impressive silver medals, sponsored by Forest Feast, were presented to the U-12 swimmers who took part in the Aquasprints meets.

Lecale finished a very close second in the finals and have deservedly retained their Division 3 place.

Lecale also presented PTL medals to all swimmers who were involved in the PTL meets where Lecale finished a worthy third in their division.

The end of season club championship gala took place on June 8 and 15 and involved all swimmers competing over four or six events, with medals presented at prize night. There are also some new names on the medals board, with full results available on www.lecaleswimclub.weebly.com.

Trophies were presented to individual swimmers who had made significant improvement in their technique and times throughout the year, with awards going to Orla Mulholland and Peter Murphy (U-11), Ellen Murphy and David Hunt (U-13) and Beth Magilton and Paddy Erskine (U-15).

Lecale looked for something outstanding from its seniors and found this in Marie Gaffney and Patrick Black. Both swimmers were presented with salvers in acknowledgement of their commitment to their training, competition and volunteering at the club.

This year Lecale identified one particular swimmer who has been an ambassador for the club throughout the past year, successfully representing the club at province-wide swim Ulster meets.

U-13 swimmer Amy Godfrey has competed in 50m, 100m and 200m events focussing on backstroke, fly and IM and has won three golds and two silvers. She also achieved an Irish Division 2 qualifying time in 100m backstroke.

Amy has always shown commitment to team spirit and competition with Lecale and has taken her swimming challenges one step further on her own.

Along with a small group from Lecale, Amy was also selected to participate in Swim Ulster training camps under the instruction of Ulster squad coach Andrew Reid.

To round off prize night, trophies were presented to swimmers whose progress and ability has confirmed them as champions in their age groups. These swimmers have been crucial to Lecale’s team successes throughout the year and, although they had tight competition in some age groups, their position as champions has been well and truly earned.

The U-9 champions are Kate McCauley and Daniel Mulholland, U-11 Chloe Galloway and Fionn McConvey, U-13 Megan Rodgers and Daniel Molloy, U-15 Bethany Williamson and Conor Mahoney, seniors Helen Smyth and Richard Turley.

One notable absence on the prize night was Lecale’s head coach, Brendan Mulholland. Brendan was in Nice preparing for an Ironman event.

Over 2,500 competitors completed the two-mile open water swim followed by a 112-mile cycle, which included an unrelenting 21km climb up into the Alps. The event finished with a full marathon, thankfully on the flat. Brendan has enjoyed competing in triathlons and Ironman events all his life and encourages all the Lecale swimmers to make the most of their talents and above all enjoy their sport.

Lecale would like to thank all its coaches, committee, swimmers and their families for another successful year and wish them well for the summer holidays.

Training resumes again on Friday, August 31 and trials for new members will take place on Sunday, September 16 at 1pm. Please keep an eye on www.lecaleswimclub.weebly.com for information on trials and club news over the summer.