Canvey Island Swimming Club hosted their fifth annual sprint meet at Waterside Farm and attracted 250 swimmers from 22 clubs.

This made it the largest competition the club has ever hosted. With all events being over 50m, the standard of competition was very high -- producing more than 25 new PBs.

Overall Canvey produced 73 top-six placings including 12 gold and nine event best times.

For the girls, Kerriann Chipperfield (10) set the standard early on by winning the 50m butterfly, smashing the record in the process.

Hannah Drake and Clare Thomas matched that feat in the 12 and 14-year age groups respectively. Both Jenny Baker and Anna Shirley swam outstanding fly events to take silver.

The breaststroke had three more meet records falling to home swimmers. The first was by Tash Chignell, who was fractionally outside her best ever time but did enough to scoop gold.

Also on target for golds in record times were Alyson Moran and Anna Shirley. The latter then went on to record success in the 100 individual medley, taking a second gold with another record.

Backstroke races saw further success for the Drake sister. Sophie (10) collected bronze, Aimee (14) silver, but Hannah collected gold in a new lifetime best.

Published Friday, May 16, 2003

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