Larkin goes five-alive for fine Forest (From Kidderminster Shuttle)

Larkin goes five-alive for fine Forest

5:00pm Thursday 13th December 2012 in Local

WYRE Forest are celebrating after winning a host of medals at the Christmas county qualifier open meet in Wolverhampton.

Swimmers took delivery of more than 60 medals at the one-day event which attracted more than 200 swimmers from the region.

Among the massive haul of medals, 11-year-old Ryan Larkin who won gold in the 100-metre individual medley, as well as the 50m and 100m breaststroke as part of his five medal haul.

Jess Lewis, 15, took home seven medals and won the 50m butterfly and 100m and 50m freestyle events.

Wyre Forest medals — Christmas open meet: Eleanor Bainbridge, 9, (gold 50m butterfly, 100m individual medley); Ria Chance, 9, (bronze 50m backstroke); Imogen Rhodes, 9, (bronze 50m freestyle); Alexander Rosser-Barnett, 9, (silver 200m individual medley); Ryan Larkin; 11; (gold 100m indvididual medley, 50m breaststroke, 100m breaststroke, silver 50m freestyle, bronze 50m butterfly); Lauryn Neale, 12, (silver 50m backstroke); Helena Shackleton, 12, (gold 50m breaststroke); Alice Hayden Jones, 12, (bronze 50m/100m breaststroke, 200m individual medley); Nathan Hawkins, 12, (silver 50m breaststroke, bronze 100m breaststroke); Matthew Newey, 13, (gold 100m breaststroke, silver 200m individual medley); Harvey Thompson, 13, (gold 100m freestyle, 200m individual medley, silver 100m individual medley, 50m freestyle, bronze 100m butterfly, 100m breaststroke); Natasha Walker, 13, (gold 100m backstroke); Calum Tinsdale, 14, (gold 200m individual medley, 50m freestyle); Beth Hinton, 14, (silver 100m butterfly); Jonathan McMahon, 14, (gold 100m individual medley, 100m butterfly, 50m butterfly, silver 100m breaststroke, bronze 50m breaststroke, 200m individual medley); Jack Rowley, 14, (gold 50m backstroke, 100m backstroke, 100m freestyle, silver 100m/200m individual medleys, bronze 50m freestyle); Jess Lewis, 15, (gold 50m butterfly, 100m freestyle, 50m freestyle, silver 50m backstroke, 100m backstroke, 100m breaststroke, 50m breaststroke); Erica Harris, 15, (gold 50m backstroke, 100m backstroke, silver 100m freestyle), Megan Tinsdale, 16, (gold 50m freestyle, 100m breaststroke, silver 50m butterfly, 100m butterfly, 100m backstroke); Jordan Chappell, 16, (gold 100m butterfly, 100m breaststroke, silver 50m breaststroke); Lizzie Hall, 18, (silver 100m individual medley, bronze 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle).

• Meanwhile, the club travelled to Worcester for the third draw of the Arena League where an injury-depleted squad achieved an impressive sixth place.

There were top three finishes for Natasha Walker (first girls’ 13/u 100m freestyle), Harris (second girls' 15/u 100m backstroke), Calum Tinsdale (second boys’ 15/u backstroke), Sam Osbourne (second, boys’ 10-11 50m butterfly), Larkin (third boys’ 10-11 50m breaststroke), Megan Tinsdale (third ladies’ open 100m freestyle) and Hayden Jones (third girls’ 100m breast).

The boys’ nine to 11 freestyle relay team of Larkin, Osbourne, Oliver Jones and Toby Cappella also achieved first place.