Kingfishers Swimming Club made an impressive return to the competition pool at TYSSS Gala on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th September, producing a host of personal bests and Yorkshire qualifying times at their first meet of the new season. With the swimmers returning from their summer break and having had a limited training programme over the past five weeks, the meet was viewed primarily as a benchmark to assess current fitness levels and establish times to work towards throughout the next training cycle.
The message from the coaching team before the meet was simple; the focus was not on achieving personal bests, but on maintaining a positive attitude, working hard and recognising that the season was only just beginning. The swimmers responded in impressive fashion.
A total of 23 Kingos swimmers competed across 137 individual swims, recording an outstanding 84 personal bests — meaning 61% of all swims resulted in a new PB. The weekend also produced 20 new Yorkshire qualifying times, providing plenty of encouragement and motivation as the swimmers continue their preparations towards the club’s key targets later in the season, including a planned peak in October and the Winter Splash in December. However, the results were only part of what made the weekend such a success.
The team spirit throughout the competition was exceptional, with swimmers supporting and encouraging one another from the first race to the last. The club’s more senior swimmers were particularly encouraging towards the newer, younger competitive swimmers, offering support on poolside and celebrating their achievements alongside them.
For many of the younger swimmers, it was their first experience of competitive swimming at this level, and the encouragement from their more experienced teammates helped create a positive and welcoming environment. The strong sense of camaraderie demonstrated the importance Kingfishers places not only on individual development, but also on being part of a supportive team. Particular congratulations go to the club’s newest Yorkshire qualifiers, Phoebe and Rory, who between them secured an incredible 14 Yorkshire qualifying times over the weekend. Phoebe also capped off a fantastic first competition by winning the award for Top 9-Year Old Girl, making the weekend a particularly memorable one. The club would also like to thank Nicola, Dan and Aaron for their time and support throughout the weekend, as well as Ben for officiating as a judge. Their contribution is hugely valued and helps make these competitions possible for the swimmers. It was an extremely positive start to the season for Kingfishers, with plenty of hard work still to come as the swimmers build their fitness and continue to chase further improvements in the months ahead.
Well done everyone a great team effort….