First Blood to Kelly Swim Squad!

The Pyramids swimming pool in Exeter was the scene of Kelly College’s debut in the Premier division of the Speedo League last Saturday and the Kelly squad was determined to show exactly what they could do at the top level. After three years of working their way through the lower divisions, achieving promotion each season, the newcomers now had to produce the goods and show that they could compete with the premier clubs, such as City of Cardiff, where Olympic bronze medallist David Davies comes from.

Led by new girl’s team captain, Amanda Sanderson along side boy’s captain Jack Cockerton, the team were united in support of each other and nothing less than victory would do. Amanda, still only 15 years old, showed everyone the way by winning the opening event – the women’s open 200m individual medley – with a gutsy swim indicating that she intended to take no prisoners in this competition. She went on to compete in a further seven events including relays chalking up a first and two seconds as an individual and helping her relay teams to another three seconds and one third place.

Another star performance for the girls came from new squad member, Megan Mackenzie, who won  both her 100m backstroke and freestyle events by a country mile and when joined in the relay by former Torridgeside teammate, Sophie Howe along with Laura Sprague and Rebecca Fletcher, no other team could come close. Megan was also drafted in to the Open medley relay team and helped them to a second place finish. Sophie Howe’s individual 100m butterfly event was a much closer affair but she still managed to dig deep and grab the win within the final few metres.

For the boys, Adam John continued to show the kind of form that made him the country’s fifth ranked swimmer overall in his age group last year – his backstroke swim was a joy to watch - and with fellow 13 year old Gregg Shrosbree also on form in the 100m freestyle, the 13 years boys relay team came away from the evening undefeated.

In the 9-11 years age group, the four boys: Cameron Carpenter-Warren, Oliver Lake, Charlie Bayliss and Mark Brend, also made up an impressive quartet and would have won two relays from two, were it not for an over enthusiastic take-over in their freestyle relay.   In his individual event, Cameron was undeterred by the relay disappointment and more than made up for the error with a clear win.

15 year old Tom Howe swam in two nail-biting races where he tasted both sides of a narrow finish, taking the win in the 100m fly but just missing out on the 100m freestyle.

In the 100m breaststroke, both Jack Cockerton and Holly Yeo won the open age group for men and women respectively with Holly swimming a school record time of 1.15.32, previously held by Sharron Davies 

In the final event of the evening, the men’s open 6 x 50m freestyle relay saw the return to the team which was led off by Russell Page Dove and old Kelleians, Paul Brew and Matthew Slator, who along with Luke Wakefield, Ryan Brova, and David Kelly ensured that the gala finished on a high note for the Kelly squad and a great feeling of satisfaction and eager anticipation for the next round in November.


Final points tally: Kelly College 233, City of Cardiff 209, Swindon Dolphins 177, Tornadoes of S. Dorset 161, West Wiltshire Force 5 135, Exeter City 130.

Individual winners: Amanda Sanderson (2), Megan Mackenzie (2), Adam John, Tom Howe, Sophie Howe, Holly Yeo, Jack Cockerton, Cameron Carpenter-Warren and Gregg Shrosbree.

Relay winners: 13/u girls Megan Mackenzie, Sophie Howe, Laura Sprague and Rebecca Fletcher, 13/U boys Gregg Shrosbree, James Macfarlane, Adam John and Michael Wallis, 15/U boys Tom Howe, Joshua Lake, Ben Clark, Matthew Henry and Saul Phillips, Mens Open Russell Page-Dove, Luke Wakefield, Ryan Brova, Matthew Slator, David Kelly and Paul Brew.

Other team members: Sarah Wise, Rachel Ware, Danielle Shrosbree, Charlotte Pickard, Brikitta Batten, Samantha Tubb, Sophie Calpin, Sophie Stanford, Flora Duffy, Angharad Morrison and Rebecca Smith