CHARD and District Swimming club produced an excellent performance to finish sixth out of 46 in the Last Chance Avalon Meet at Millfield School – and what a weekend it was, writes Steph Hallam.

Daniel Walker lived up to expectations and qualified for the 100m breaststroke at nbational level in 1min20.38sec. It was also a 12 years and under club record and a complete success for both him and the club (see back page).

Lauren Harrison and Madeline Ryder also obtained club records.

Lauren in the 1,500m freestyle, 21.14.38, a 12 years and 14 years club record and Madeline in the 100m freestyle, 1.02.60, a 14 years and open club record.

Amy Rodger, 17, swam the 1,500m in a time of 21.32.65 and was rewarded for her efforts with first position.

Top six medal positions were awarded to – Daniel Walker, Jamie Pullinger, Luke van den Barselaar, Jake Hallam, Adam Reid, Jack Bradford, Daniel Andrews, Oliver Bilbie, Paul Harrison, Abigail Dare, Tessa Down, Jodie Hake, Gemma Bagge, Lauren Harrison, Marsha Emery, Elisha Hawkins, Tarina Francis, Jessica Mathieson, Saskia Osborne, Amy Rodger, Madeline Ryder. Other Chard participants were – Jonathan Crees, Billie-Jo Dance, Lucy Down, Elsie Emery, Jenna Emery, Jack Fish, Ben Fowler,Melissa Hanson, Chris Harrison, Huw Khan- Davis, Steph Hallam, Maddie Barber and Catherine Ryder.

■ CHARD Swimming Club’s younger members enjoyed a successful night as they secured third place at the second round of the Southern Junior League at the Bridport Leisure Centr.

Jamie Pullinger and Daniel Walker achieved club records – Jamie a ten years and under club record for the 50m butterfly in 38.48 and Daniel a 12 years and under club record for 50m freestyle in 28.82.

Special credit is given to nineyear- old Barnaby Down who achieved a bronze speed badge in the 25m freestyle with a time of 18.10sec.

The Chard 12 years girls freestyle and medley relay teams – Jodie Hake, Jess Mathieson, Abigail Dare, Lauren Harrison and Tessa Down – came first for both of their events, encouraging the rest of the squad with their enthusiasm and positive attitude.

Top positions went to: 1st – Adam Reid 25m breaststroke; Lewis Pearson 25m freestyle; Oliver Bilbie 50m backstroke; Daniel Walker 50m breaststroke 50m freestyle; Tessa Down 50m breaststroke; Jodie Hake 50m backstroke; Jade Hawkins, Tamsin Edge, Susan Ross and Elisha Hawkins girls nine years 4x25m medley relay. 2nd – Adam Reid 25m backstroke; Elisha Hawkins 25m breaststroke; Barnaby Down, Iain Ross, Adam Reid, Charlie Kendall, Lewis Pearson boys nine years 4x25m freestyle/medley relay; Elsie Emery 50m butterfly; Abigail Dare 50m butterfly; Oliver Bilbie 50m backstroke. 3rd – Lewis Pearson 25m butterfly; Susan Ross 25m butterfly; Jade Hawkins: 25m freestyle; Ella Harvey, Elisha Hawkins, Susan Ross and Tamsin Edge girls nine years 4x25m freestyle relay; Jamie Pullinger 50m butterfly; Elsie Emery 50m freestyle; Melissa Hanson, Chloe Bryant, Elsie Emery and Lauren van den Barselaar girls 11 years 4x25m freestyle relay.

Results – Bournemouth Dolphins 245pts, Westonsuper- Mare 194, Chard and District 179, Soundwell (Bristol) 170, Christchurch 129, West Dorset 87.

Chard squad – Ella Harvey, Elisha Hawkins, Jade Hawkins, Susan Ross, Tamsin Edge, Susan Ross, Iain Ross, Barnaby Down, Adam Reid, Charlie Kendall and Lewis Pearson, Marsha Emery, Harriet Uren, Sarah Underwood, Abigail O'Leary, Daniella Edge, Mollie Simpson, Paul Harrison, Jamie Pullinger, Lewis Evans ,Wesley Holmes, Lauren van den Barselaar, Melissa Hanson, Chloe Bryant , Elsie Emery, Joe Spurway, Joshua Bolton, Jamie and Ashley Lillington, Oliver Bilbie, Matthew Hall, Abigail Dare, Tessa Down, Lauren Harrison, Jessica Mathieson, Jodie Hake, Daniel Walker, Jay Kindred and Jake Harvey.

■ CHARD and District, once again, displayed their array of talent by clinching the Top Visiting Club Trophy at the at the Pyramids Pool meet in Exeter (see photo on page 46). Special mention must go to the 13-year-old trio of Hannah Pullinger, Luke van den Barselaar and Jake Hallam.

Hannah achieved her first South West Counties qualifying time in the 100m freestyle with 1.04.54.

Luke and Jake achieved new South West Counties qualifying times – Luke in the 200m individual medley (2.34.79) and Jake in the 100m breaststroke (1.22.30).

Jamie Pullinger, ten, secured three South-West qualifying times missed out narrowly from receiving the Top Boy Trophy and was runner-up overall for his consistent efforts throughout the weekend.

Other South West Counties qualifying time were achieved by Chard – Jamie Pullinger 10, 200m freestyle 2.42.97, 200m backstroke 3.00.69, 200m individual medley 3.05:70; Daniel Walker 12; 100m freestyle 1.05.68, 200m freestyle 2.23.56, 200m individual medley 2.45.45, 100m breaststroke 1.20.91; Abigail Dare 12, 100m backstroke: 1.19.30, 400m individual medley 5.58.28; Jodie Hake 12, 100m backstroke 1.17.44; Madeline Ryder 13, 100m freestyle 1.02.61, 200m freestyle 2.16.10; Luke van den Barselaar 13, 100m backstroke 1.11.19; 200m backstroke 2.34.84.

■ Chard club records achieved by – Jamie Pullinger 10 years and under 100m freestyle 1.15.09, 100m backstroke 1.24.48, 100m breaststroke 1.42.29; Jodie Hake 12 years and under 50 m backstroke 35.47; Madeline Ryder 14 years and under and open age group 100m freestyle 1.02.61 and 200m freestyle 2.16.10; Beckie Rutherford 14 years and under and open age group 50m backstroke 32.89.

Top Positions: 1st – Jamie Pullinger 50mts backstroke, 50m breaststroke, 50m butterfly, 100m backstroke, 200m backstroke; Daniel Walker 50m backstroke, 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle; Abigail Dare 100m butterfly, 400m individual medley; Laura Coombs 100m butterfly; Jake Hallam 50m breaststroke, 50m butterfly; Madeline Ryder 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle; Beckie Rutherford 50m backstroke, 100m backstroke, 200m backstroke, 200m individual medley; Jack Fish 50m butterfly, 100m backstroke; Saskia Osborne: 50m backstroke 100m backstroke. 2nd – Lewis Pearson 50m backstroke; Jay Kindred 50m breaststroke; Paul Harrison 200m breaststroke, 400m freestyle; Jamie Pullinger 50m freestyle 100m breaststroke, 100m backstroke; Elsie Emery 100m freestyle; Oliver Bilbie 200m backstroke; Daniel Walker 100m breaststroke, 200m individual medley; Ben Fowler 50m butterfly; Jodie Hake 50m backstroke, 50m freestyle, 50m butterfly; Beckie Rutherford 100m freestyle; Daniel Andrews 50m butterfly, 100m butterfly; Luke van den Barselaar 50m backstroke, 100m backstroke, 200m backstroke, 200m individual medley; Jake Hallam 100m freestyle; Jack Fish 50m backstroke, 100m butterfly; Lucy Down 50m backstroke, 100m backstroke; Emily Wilson 50m butterfly, 200m backstroke. 3rd – Iain Ross 50m breaststroke; Melissa Hanson 50m backstroke; Oliver Bilbie 50m backstroke, 100m backstroke; Paul Harrison 100m backstroke; Jamie Pullinger 100m butterfly, 200m freestyle, 200m individual medley; Elsie Emery 100m breaststroke; Lauren Harrison 400m individual medley, 400m freestyle; Abigail Dare 50m butterfly; Jake Hallam 50m backstroke, 100m breaststroke, 200m freestyle; Oliver Carslake 50m breaststroke, 50m butterfly; Hannah Pullinger 50m freestyle, 50m breaststroke, 50m backstroke; Luke van den Barselaar 100m freestyle; Laura Coombs 50m backstroke, 100m backstroke;Jonathan Crees 50m butterfly; Beckie Rutherford 50m freestyle; James Rutherford 200m backstroke; Emily Wilson 100m freestyle.

Other Chard swimmers participating – Lauren van den Barselaar, Jamie Lillington, Huw- Khan Davies, Catherine Ryder, Susan Ross, Tessa Down, Jessica Mathieson.