Mathias produces some magic with a double success in gala

Olivia Mathias produced two of Newark Swimming Club’s seven wins at the Development Gala at Hucknall, breaking her personal best times on both occasions.

She swam a new fastest time of 21-35secs to win the girls’ 9-years 25m backstroke, and then beat her previous best in the 50m breaststroke to get first touch in a time of 53.65secs.

Lewis Illsley also produced a double on the day in the boys’ 9-years 25m backstroke in a personal best time of 20.20secs and the 50m breaststroke in 57.78secs.

As well as their seven first places, Newark’s swimmers produced a total of 30 personal best times.

It was the first of two galas designed to enable some of the less experienced members to swim in a competitive gala.

The most important thing is enabling swimmers to set personal best times, and to make sure that the galas aren’t used by clubs just for their fastest swimmers, competitors who go too fast in events receive a speeding ticket and don’t earn any points for their team.

A win each for Illsley and Mathias was over the speeding cut-off time, as was a win for Josh Barker.

Development Gala First Round, Hucknall, Newark results (boys named first unless stated) 8-9-years 4x25m medley relay: 2nd Jack Clipstone, Lewis Illsley, Elliott Snaith, Josh Barker 1min 33.40secs; 2 Josh Barker, Lewis Illsley, Jack Clipstone, Elliot Snaith 1-35.72; 4 Olivia Mathias, Sian Hendley, Phoebe Bennett, Laila Gane 1-36.84; 5 Olivia Mathias, Sian Hendley, Rebecca Bourke, Phoebe Bennett 1-46.26.

4x25m freestyle relay: 2 Josh Barker, Jack Clipstone, Elliot Snaith, Lewis Illsley 1-21.91; 3 Lewis Illsley, Jack Clipstone, Elliot Snaith, Josh Barker 1-26.05; 5 Olivia Mathias, Rebecca Bourke, Sian Hendley, Phoebe Bennett 1-34.30; 3 Olivia Mathias, Rebecca Bourke, Laila Gane, Phoebe Bennett 1-29.12.

9-years 25m backstroke: 1 Lewis Illsley 20.20secs; 6 Jack Clipstone 29.86; 1 Olivia Mathias 21.35; 3 Laila Gane 23.18.

50m freestyle: 3 Lewis Illsley 42.55; 6 Jack Clipstone 52.36; 3 Phoebe Bennett 45.65; 4 Laila Gane 46.69.

25m butterfly: 1 Josh Barker 20.17; 2 Lewis Illsley 23.20; 2 Olivia Mathias 21.98; 5 Phoebe Bennett 26.25.

50m breaststroke: 2 Josh Barker 56.59; 1 Lewis Illsley 57.78; 1 Olivia Mathias 53.65; 4 Laila Gane 1min 00.29 secs.

Girls’ 10-11 years 50m breaststroke: 5 Sally Smith 53.08secs.

25m backstroke: 4 Luke Marriott 23.11; 2 Matt Pritchett 21.09; 5 Sally Smith 20.51; 4 Jemma Trickett 22.98.

50m freestyle: 2 Luke Marriott 42.05; 3 Matt Pritchett 45.87; 3 Amy Cotton 40.97; 5 Jemma Trickett 43.80.

25m butterfly: 1 Luke Marriott 21.57; 4 Matt Pritchett 26.16; 5 Sally Smith 24.12; 2 Amy Cotton 22.90.

12-13-years 25m butterfly: 2 Adam Whitney 21.64; 2 Christina Sahal 23.83; 4 Charlotte Clipstone 26.19.

50m breaststroke: 1 Adam Whitney 53.20; 6 Christina Sahal 59.05; 4 Charlotte Clipstone 58.45.

25m backstroke: 2 Adam Whitney 21.00; 2 Christina Sahal 24.07; 3 Charlotte Clipstone 28.85.

50m freestyle: 4 Adam Whitney 42.94; 4 Christina Sahal 47.15; 3 Charlotte Clipstone 51.22.