A COHORT of 36 Wrexham Swimming Club members travelled up to Leeds to compete in the Richmond Dales April Fools gala, writes SALLY JONES.

The competition was open to those aged nine years and over, and for many fledgling swimmers, both from Wrexham Swimming club and elsewhere, this was their first experience of competing in a 50-metre competition pool.

Wrexham Swimming Club came away with an impressive haul of medals across all ages and disciplines, exhibiting a continuing run of form which bodes well for the club’s future.

Annabelle Jones (11) was second in the 100m backstroke (1-23.62), 200m freestyle (2-34.55), 50m breaststroke (43.54), 100m butterfly (1-28.01), 50m freestyle (34.05) and 200m IM (2-59.30), while Joanne Andrews (12) won the 100m breaststroke (1-30.33) and was second in the 100m butterfly (1-17.59).

Jenna Scholze (13) was in brilliant form with nine first-place finishes - the 400m IM (5-42.32), 100m backstroke (1-13.72), 200m breaststroke (3-04.07), 50m breaststroke (40.19), 200m freestyle (2-26.82), 200m IM (2-42.10), 50m backstroke (34.53), 100m breaststroke (1-27.89) and 200m butterfly (2-53.80).

There were wins for Mayia Jones (14) in the 400m IM (5-50.24), 200m breaststroke (3-11.57), 50m breaststroke (42.35) and 100m breaststroke (1-31.87), with Olivia Lindsay (14) winning the 800m freestyle (10-32.84) and Megan Roberts (15) triumphing in five races - the 400m IM (5-42.37), 400m freestyle (4-51.16), 200m freestyle (2-18.24), 100m freestyle (1-03.93) and 800m freestyle (10-11.27). Fifteen-year-old Safiya Wandji (15) finished first in the 50m backstroke (36.41).

In the men’s draw, there were five wins for nine-year-old Spencer Jones, in the 100m butterfly (1-27.95), 50m freestyle (35.84), 50m backstroke (41.90), 100m breaststroke (1-43.98) and 50m butterfly (38.07), with Reece Linge (10) first in the 50m breaststroke (48.35) and Zac Campbell (11) was runner-up in the 100m backstroke (1-26.58).

There were a trio of wins for Tyler Holland (13) in the 1500m freestyle (18-43.51), 400m IM (5-35.47) and 400m freestyle (4-49.52), as Dewi Hardy (14) was second in the 100m butterfly (1-13.77) and Jack Leatherbarrow (14) finished second in both the 200m backstroke (2-40.90) and 200m breaststroke (3-05.63).

Adding to the club's success, Jack Parsons (14) won the 50m backstroke (33.89) and 200m breaststroke (2-56.67), Aeron Lee (16) was second in the 200m breaststroke (2-52.92), Dylan Jones (16) was runner-up in the 50m butterfly (29.53) and Adam Taylor (17) won the 200m backstroke (2-24.81) and 100m backstroke (1-05.97).