Ballina Swimming Club enjoyed success at the recent Mayo Community Games Finals.

In the Backcrawl event U10, Sophia Trieste age 9 won a gold medal and Eamon Doherty age 8 picked up a silver medal in the Boy’s U10 event. In the U10 Frontcrawl, Alannah Cannavan age 8 won gold. Alannah and Sophia will both compete in the Community Games Finals in Athlone in May.The U13 Girls Relay team also took gold and club swimmers Ellen Nugent, Tara Wong, Caoimhe Conwell & Finola Collins will also go forward to the National Finals. More swimmers who had excellent swims on the day were Elaine Sheridan (U14 Frontcrawl) and Jennifer Murphy (U12 Frontcrawl).

Meanwhile Ballina Swimming Club had yet another great day in Athlone at the final A Gala of the year.

In the Girls 11 & Under 100 SC Meter Backstroke, Tara Wong, Becky Donnelly and Ellen Nugent all swam very well getting PBs. Ellen Nugent also got a PB in the Girls 11 & Under 100 SC Meter Breaststroke. In the Girls 11 & Under 100 SC Meter Freestyle, Tara Wong, Ellen Nugent & Becky Donnelly all swam very well and got PBs.

In the Girls 12-13 100 SC Meter Backstroke, Rachel Murphy was only .02 of a second off her Division 1 qualifying time. Sarah Donnelly and Caoimhe Conwell also competed in this event and both girls got PBs. In the Girls 12-13 100 SC Meter Breaststroke Caoimhe Conwell got her first Division 2 time. Sarah Donnelly and Rachel Murphy both got PBs in the same event. Later in the afternoon, Rachel Murphy, Caoimhe Conwell & Sarah Donnelly also got PBs in the Girls 12-13 100 SC Meter Freestyle.

Fionn Donherty swam in the Boys 11 & Under 100 SC Meter Breaststroke and got a PB. In the Boys 14-15 100 SC Meter Freestyle, it was Sean Canavan’s only second gala with the Club and he got a Division 2 time. Sean also participated in the Boys 14-15 100 SC Meter Butterfly and got a PB.

Jack Shakeshaft who also swims with the Club had to leave gala before it started due to an injury but he is back training for the Division 2 All Ireland Gala in Limerick in June. Other Division 2 swimmers who are all training very hard for this gala are Sean Canavan, Rachel Murphy & Caoimhe Conwell.