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Further success achieved by Sirens ASC swimmers at 30th October Age Group time trials at Tal Qroqq completed an excellent month for the club following superb performances at a British short course meet in Buckinghamshire.
In mid-October, 21 squad members travelled to High Wycombe in the UK to take part in the district’s Inaugural Short Course Premier Meet, where Sirens athletes battled against leading clubs from South-East England.
Two days of intensive competition resulted in repeated podium appearances for Sirens who collected six gold, ten silver and two bronze medals as well as achieving a 95% personal best hit rate.    Dominating his age group, 14 year old Kyle Buhagiar won gold medals for his 50m free, 50m fly, 100m and 200m free and 200m IM, scoring four out of five pb’s. Andrea Mallia powered home to win a stunning gold for his 200m breaststroke in a new time of 2.37.03, followed shortly afterwards with a silver for his 100m breaststroke. Catching the medal bug, Rudi Spiteri claimed four silver medals and four pb’s for his 50m and 100m freestyle, 50m fly and 100m IM and Nick Sammut celebrated with a bronze medal for an excellent 50m fly.   Not to be outdone, the girls were also in on the action with Alexandra McGonigle achieving five pb’s and five silver medals for her 50m and 100m freestyle, and 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke and Jessica Powell won bronze for her 50m free, touching the wall in 29.14.
Although younger swimmers were unable to compete for medals, excellent pb’s were achieved nonetheless. Emily Grech Carr shaved seven seconds from her 200m freestyle finishing in 2.31.21, Julia Micallef swam her 100m free in a new time of 1.11.76, Sasha Gatt improved her 50m breaststroke by two seconds, finishing in 43.34 and Haley Pawley Neame swiped five seconds off her 100m breaststroke, gaining a new personal best of 1.31.61.
‘This was an important meet and the whole squad put in excellent swims,’ said Head Coach, Craig Gibbons. ‘It’s impressive that even our younger swimmers were not fazed by the strength and depth of competition and delivered brilliant performances, often chasing down age group and national records.’ He added, ‘By the end of the meet, we were not an unknown club from a small island – British coaches and competitors alike were definitely paying attention and I’m extremely proud.’
Caroline Furminger
Sirens Media Office
