Making a splash right across Hampshire

Fareham Nomads showed enormous progress at the Hampshire County Swimming Championships.
JPNS-06-03-17-015 Fare and Gosp eds swimmers trophies

From left, Matt Sullivan and John Molyneaux, who won junior and top trophies in the 50m backstroke.
CAPTION: Matt Sullivan, left, and John Molyneaux with their trophies oxfM7QPGCOocna9mWYbzJPNS-06-03-17-015 Fare and Gosp eds swimmers trophies

From left, Matt Sullivan and John Molyneaux, who won junior and top trophies in the 50m backstroke.
CAPTION: Matt Sullivan, left, and John Molyneaux with their trophies oxfM7QPGCOocna9mWYbz
JPNS-06-03-17-015 Fare and Gosp eds swimmers trophies From left, Matt Sullivan and John Molyneaux, who won junior and top trophies in the 50m backstroke. CAPTION: Matt Sullivan, left, and John Molyneaux with their trophies oxfM7QPGCOocna9mWYbz

Nomads’ swimmers aged from 10 to 46 raced at the Mountbatten Leisure Centre, Portsmouth, and Waterlooville Leisure Centre over the past month.

Head coach John Molyneaux said: ‘The progress across the board has been outstanding.

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‘Last year we had a total of 39 medals, this year this has increased to 47 medals with 11 gold.

‘For the third year running the club has increased the number of swimmers achieving qualifying times for the event. This year we had 39 qualifiers in 227 events as opposed to three years ago when we had 23 qualifiers in 129 events.

‘This achievement shows that as a club we are moving in the right direction. It is a reflection of the quality of teachers and coaches we have at Fareham Nomads and the efforts put in by the swimmers themselves.’

Stand-out performances included 15-year-old Matt Sullivan’s 50m backstroke in a time of 30.81, which meant he took home the Top Junior Trophy for this event. Sullivan is coached by Molyneaux, 29, who also raced hard to win the Top Open Trophy in the same event in a time of 28.65 winning his first county since 2006.

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Sullivan had an impressive medal haul of three gold, five silver and four bronze medals overall at the championships.

Charlie Holyer, 11, who raced at this competition for the first time, swam outstandingly to achieve eight personal best times at the event and collected three gold, two silver and two bronzes.

Chris Finch, 19, picked up a double backstroke gold with Oli Bulpett, 15, also retaining his 200 breaststroke title. Individual medal winners also included Jessica Davies, Joe Davies, Amelia Boyes and Ryan Ireland.

Fareham Nomads also showed their team spirit winning medals in the girls 10-12 years 4x50m freestyle relay; the boys junior 4x50 medley relay; the men’s open 4x200 freestyle relay; ladies open 4x100 medley relay; and men’s open 4x100 medley relay.

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John added: ‘The team spirit at Fareham Nomads is fantastic. Many swimmers attended their first counties this year either individually or as part of relay teams and hopefully this, as well as the success of the team, helps inspire our swimmers and others to come back for more next year.’

Many of the club’s swimmers are now looking ahead to the South East Region Championships, which are going to be held in late spring.

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