Athlone swimmers claim more success
Athlone Swimming Club enjoyed considerable success at this year's Division One Irish Age Group Championships at the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin.
A total of 17 swimmers travelled to the championships and had tremendous success, with nine making individual finals and a number of medals won in the process.
Michael Kelly was in tremendous form, winning two silvers - in the 200m butterfly and 1500m freestyle.
Michael swam a personal best in both events, with times of 2.29mins and 18.41mins respectively.
Darragh Joyce is heading to this year's British Age Groups, and he was in superb form, taking a silver in the 15-year-old Boys 200m breaststroke in a time of 2.32.36.
Darragh also took a bronze in the 100m breaststroke sprint in a time of 1.12.16.
Fiachra Lennon, 12, picked up a huge haul of medals; winning three individual silvers and a gold and silver in relay events.
Fiachra took silvers in the 400m freestyle, 200m freestyle, and the 100m freestyle, and swimming observers are sure to see a lot more of this talented competitor in the future.
The club's other individual medal winner was 11-year-old Robert Powell.
Robert ended on the same podium as Fiachra Lennon, taking a bronze in the 200m freestyle.
Robert will be eligible to compete in the same age group next year, and as the fastest 11 year- old at the event, is tipped to go on to better things in the future.
The boys' quartet of Bill Kelly, Sean Tierney, Fiachra Lennon and Robert Powell destroyed a high-class field when taking the gold in the 4x50m freestyle race.
The same four boys also went on to take silver in the 4x50m medley relay.
The 15-year-old quartet of Cian Warby, Ryan Condron, Alex Condron and Darragh Joyce took a silver medal in the 4x50m medley relay, with a time of 2.02.14. With Michael Kelly on board, alongside Alex, Darragh and Ryan, the four also took a bronze in the 4x50m freestyle.
The results capped a fine year for Athlone Swimming Club, with Brendan Gibbons recently taking part, and winning a medal, at the European Youth Olympics in Turkey.
Meanwhile, Athlone Swimming Club also enjoyed a successful trip to Hungary at the end of July.
Representing Ireland in the European's People's Festival in the Hungarian town of Szentendre, Athlone won the swimming competition for the third year in a row.
Patricia Cleary was the manager of the successful Athlone team.
