LAST week saw Skipton Swimming Club’s younger members win a haul of five medals at an Airedale and Wharfedale District Championships gala, including two golds, two silvers and a bronze.

Leading the way in the medals table for Skipton were siblings Poppy and Stanley Dunne. Poppy, a student at Bingley Grammar School struck gold in the Girls Age 13/14 100m Backstroke and clinched the silver in the Ladies Open 50m Backstroke. Stanley, of Ermysted’s Grammar School, picked up the gold in the Boys Age 11/12 100m Individual Medley.

There were further medals for 10 year-old Sebastian Oliver, of Water Street Primary School and Lily Oddy (11) of Embsay Primary School. Sebastian took the silver in the Boys Age 9/10 50m freestyle in what was his first time competing in an Aire & Wharfe gala whilst Lily secured the bronze in the Girls Age 11/12 100m Individual Medley.

Other Skipton swimmers representing the club and putting in fantastic performances at the event included first-time competitors Gray Chamley (9) and Ella Timmins (9), along with William Barnes (9) Kitty Shillito (10), Jack Barnes (11), Betsy Rider (11), Max Shillito (14), Blossom Oddy (13), Ava Barker (13), Hannah Brook (13), and Isabella Wallace (13).

Head Coach, Ian Scrivin said: “Following two years of disruption because of the pandemic, clubs and competitors across the region have been relieved to see the events back. These galas allow our youngest and newest club members the opportunity to experience inter-club competitive swimming for the first time which is fantastic.

“I’m very proud of them all. I have no doubt that for some of our youngsters, this will be the start of an extremely successful career in competitive swimming, which is why grassroots events like this are so important.”

The gala was the third of the annual Airedale and Wharfedale District Championships.