THERE was a great victory for Chard & District Swimming Club in the final round Gala of the Southern Junior League at Keynsham near Bath.

Final Result: Chard & District 188; Bristol Henleaze 179; Tornadoes of South Dorset 172; Southwold 143.

There were only four teams in this final gala because Frome withdrew at the last moment.

Chard & District took the lead after event 30 of the 49 races, when Abi Abrahams (11yrs) won the 12 years 50m breaststroke in a club record time of 38.70 secs and the team held on to this lead to the end. In fact, Chard swimmers won 15 of the 49 events.

Individual winners: Abi Abrahams (11yrs 50 breaststroke and butterfly and 12yrs 50 breaststroke), Beckie Rutherford (12yrs 50 backstroke), Oliver Bilbie (9yrs 25 backstroke with his first league victory), Daniel Walker (10yrs 50 breaststroke) and two good wins for Luke Van Den Barselaar (11yrs 50 backstroke and 50 freestyle).

Relay team wins: 9yrs boys freestyle (Jake Harvey, Joe Spurway, Oliver Bilbie and Luke Gibson); 10yrs girls freestyle (Lauren Harrison, Jodie Hake, Tessa Down and Abigail Dare); 10yrs boys freestyle (Daniel Walker, Alex Phillips, Joshua Fletcher and Oliver Vercoe); 11yrs boys (Ben Fowler, Huw Khan-Davis, Jake Hallam and Luke Van Den Barselaar) won both the freestyle and medley relays); 12yrs freestyle girls (Beckie Rutherford, Laura Coombs, Madeline Ryder and Tarina Francis).

The final event, an 8x25m cannon, one boy and one girl from each age group, was won by about 15 metres, with tremendous swimming from Elsie Emery, George Murton, Abigail Dare, Daniel Walker, Abi Abrahams, Luke Van Den Barselaar, Beckie Rutherford and James Rutherford.

The Chard swimmers seemed to get better and better as the gala progressed. They got more excited as they took the lead, but were never over-confident. Special mention should be made of three boys, Luke Gibson, Oliver Vercoe and Luke Van Den Barselaar, who were final swimmers in relays and turned third places into wins with very energetic performances. At the end of the Gala, 12-year-old twins Beckie and James Rutherford in their final gala as juniors, received the trophy for the team.

This was a great finish to the season especially for the younger swimmers who have learnt a lot during the series. The quality of the swimmers who have been club members throughout their junior league years, nine to 12 is amazing.

Full team: Elsie Emery, Melissa Hanson, Chloe Bryant, Lauren Van Den Barselaar, Sophie Spiller, Mollie Simpson, Tessa Down, Lauren Harrison, Abigail Dare, Jodie Hake, Jessica Mathieson, Jenny Gibson, Hannah Pullinger, Jenna Emery, Abi Abrahams, Imogen Dower, Laura Coombs, Maddie Barber, Madeline Ryder, Tarina Francis, Beckie Rutherford, Jake Harvey, Joshua Bolton, Joe Spurway, George Murton, Luke Gibson, Oliver Bilbie, Joshua Fletcher, Oliver Vercoe, Daniel Walker, Alex Phillips, Huw Khan-Davis, Jake Hallam, Ben Fowler, Luke Van Den Barselaar, Jamie Spiller, James Rutherford, Daniel Andrews and Oliver Carslake.

For details of competitive swimming, click on the club's link below.