Eliza’s First Swimming Gala

Back in May last year, Eliza joined Isaac at Swim Bournemouth in their Juniors section, with the idea that they both swim together at the same time to reduce the amount of time I spend sat beside a swimming pool.

That lasted all of three months as Isaac moved up to the County Potential squad in the summer, meaning I now spend everyday at a swimming pool with one of them.

It was, however, a move I do not regret as her swimming and fitness has come on leaps and bounds and although she cannot compete until she is 9, this weekend she took part in her first official club gala.

Swimming Gala

The club hold gala’s like this to get the kids used to the noise and excitement, to practise their race techniques and to get their times, so they know how much they have improved as they continue their training.

Swimming Gala

Eliza did three races:

  • 50m Backstroke: 1:09.09
  • 50m Freestyle: 1:12.65
  • 50m Breaststroke: 1:30.18

She is on a par with Isaac’s first times for the club and I cannot wait to see how much she improves in the coming months.

Of course, Isaac took part too and he got PB’s (personal bests) in all his races, even shaving an impressive 11 seconds off his butterfly!!

Swimming Gala
  • 50m Backstroke: 56:40
  • 50m Freestyle: 51.21
  • 50m Breaststroke: 1:08.08
  • 50m Fly: 1:10.77
  • 200m IM: 4:28:30
  • 100m IM: 2:13.95

The best bit about the day was seeing them smile as they raced and cheering each other, and their friends on!!

Do your kids do sports outside of school?

20 thoughts on “Eliza’s First Swimming Gala”

  1. Wow the PBs are impressive! Congratulations to Isaac for shaving off 11secs off his butterfly! I remember the good old days back in swimming club, it was a lot of fun!

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  2. What great times, it sounds like they both really enjoy swimming! My son is 9 and is part of a swim club too, he absolutely loves it and cant wait for the next Gala coming up soon! His sister is 4 and has just joined the “learn to swim” section of the swim club and is so proud to be at swim club like her big brother!

    Good luck for their swimming in the future I am sure they will both do amazing! x

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  3. My children loved swimming, but we stopped going when my son had hearing problems/operations etc. All the plugs and bands he used to wear made it impossible to hear what the instructors were saying, so we phased the lessons out. They both do karate though. Millie is 4 belts off black belt, and Toby will reach the same when he reaches her age.

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  4. Oh this brings me back so much! I was part of a swim team with my sister between the ages of 9 and 12, swimming most mornings and evenings around school. Summer holidays meant training 5 days a week from 8-10am. And I loved it. I’m hoping my son will get into swimming as much as I did.

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