After a long summer break the Monnow swimmers had only three weeks to prepare for the Monmouthshire County Championships on the 23rd and 24th of September in Newport. Monnow Swimming Club swimmers joined swimmers from Chepstow swimming club and Abergavenny swimming club to compete in events that ranged in distance from 50m up to 200m in all four swimming strokes and the Individual Medley. Monnow also used this meet as their club distance championships to complement the club sprint championships that took place on the 10th June.
The swimmers from Monnow managed to win an impressive tally of medals. Nanci Edwards (10) won 5 gold medals, 2 silver medals and 1 bronze medal. Amelia Phillips (12) won 6 gold medals and 1 silver medal. Emma Nock (9) won 3 gold medals, 1 silver medal and 1 bronze medal. Daisy Phillips won 1 gold medal, 1 silver medal and 2 bronze medals. Lucy Creasy (14) won 1 gold medal, 2 silver medals and 2 bronze medals. Ethan Chick (13) won 2 silver medals and 1 bronze medal. Emma Goddard (8) won 3 gold medals, 2 silver medals and 1 bronze medal, Abi Agami (10) won 2 gold medals and 1 bronze medal, Archie Cowton (10) won 2 silver medals and 1 bronze medal. Philip Lawler (11) won 2 silver medals. Elliot Lynch-Warden (12) won a bronze medal and Laura Willis (13) won 3 bronze medals.
For many of the Monnow swimmers it was the first time that they had competed in distances over 50m and many of them discovered that they were well suited to these longer distances and clocked up some impressive times. Some of the races were quite gruelling such as the 100 metres butterfly but the swimmers took them in their stride. The results of the sprint meet in June and this distance meet will be used as the basis for judging which swimmers will receive club awards. These awards will be announced at the club’s awards night in December.
The club’s busy schedule continues in October when the club will host a local gala at Monmouth Sports Club. This is a team event against other local swimming clubs. Later in the month the swimmers will compete in another meet in Newport.