SCARBOROUGH SWIMMING CLUB

Yorkshire Short Course Competition 2024 – A Strong Start to the Season

Scarborough Swimming Club’s impressive string of results began in October at the Yorkshire Short Course Competition 2024, where 17 swimmers from the club competed in a total of 82 races. All swimmers achieved at least one personal best, marking a fantastic start to the new season. Several swimmers excelled, demonstrating both skill and determination under pressure:

• Oliver Hamlin made his presence known, finishing in the top 10 in both the 100m Backstroke and 100m Butterfly, impressing with his ability to perform at such a high level.
• Skye Leighton-Armitage continued her stellar form, securing 8th place in the 100m Butterfly, positioning her among the county best 9yrs young swimmers.
• Thea Renshaw claimed 10th place in her event, continuing to build on her competitive journey.
• Wiktor Gora proved his versatility with multiple top 10 finishes across a variety of events, showcasing his range and potential, although he just missed out in the 100m Breaststroke.

The performances at this meet reflected not only the individual success of each swimmer but also the strength of the team as a whole, contributing to the club’s growing reputation on the regional stage.

Middlesbrough Halloween Madness – Personal Bests and Close Calls

The next stop on the competitive calendar was the Middlesbrough Halloween Madness Meet, where Sami Baloch, Hannah Brown, and Savannah Foster took on the challenging 200m Butterfly. All three swimmers made significant strides, posting new personal best times.

Savannah Foster was particularly impressive, narrowly missing out on a Regional Time for the 200m Butterfly but earning a Long Course County time for the upcoming February 2025 Championships. This achievement is a remarkable milestone for Savannah, who came through the Everyone Active Program and is now heading into her second year with Scarborough Swimming Club. Having already competed at Yorkshire level in October, Savannah is now focused on preparing for the County and Regional Long Course Championships next year, alongside her teammates, Sami and Hannah.

Beverley Halloween Meet – Medal Haul and Top 6 Finishes

Scarborough Swimming Club’s success continued at the Beverley Halloween Meet, where 23 swimmers competed in 107 races. The team’s hard work and dedication were evident as they achieved 46 personal bests and brought home a remarkable 30 medals—comprising 11 golds, 11 silvers, and 8 bronzes. The swimmers also recorded 22 top six finishes, securing an overall 6th-place finish in the highly competitive meet.

In terms of age-group achievements, Scarborough Swimming Club saw four girls in the top 10 in the 9-year-old category, and two boys in the top 10 for the 10-year-old category. Additionally, there was another impressive performance with a swimmer earning a top-10 spot in both the 13/14 age group and the 15 and over category, showing the depth of talent within the club.

This meet was a testament to the strength and versatility of Scarborough Swimming Club’s swimmers, who are making waves across multiple age groups.

North East Regional Short Course Championships 2025 – Wiktor Gora’s Breakthrough Performance

The biggest highlight of the last few weeks was undoubtedly the North East Regional Short Course Championships, where Wiktor Gora truly came into his own. Qualifying for 14 events, Wiktor’s dedication to his training paid off as he set personal best times in 7 of his 14 events. He finished in the top 10 in an impressive 11 of his events, further solidifying his place as one of the region’s top swimmers.

Although Wiktor narrowly missed out on medals in the 100m Freestyle, 200m Butterfly, and the 400m Individual Medley (finishing 4th in all three), he claimed an emotional 3rd place in the 50m Butterfly, winning a regional bronze medal.

Wiktor’s reaction after his bronze medal was heartfelt: "I’ve worked so hard for this, and to see all that effort pay off in such a big way was overwhelming. I’m so happy and thankful for all the support I’ve had along the way."

Senior Coach Nathan Renshaw spoke highly of Wiktor’s performance: "Wiktor’s journey is a testament to his dedication and the incredible support from his family, friends, teammates and the whole club. To qualify for 13 events at the Regionals is no small feat, and to come away with a medal after such a challenging competition speaks volumes about his talent and determination."

Looking ahead, Wiktor is aiming to qualify for the English National Championships in July 2025, where he will target the 200m and 400m events for his age group, hoping to add to his already impressive list of accomplishments.

Wiktor Gora’s Selection for the Yorkshire County Development Program

As if Wiktor’s regional success wasn’t enough, he was also selected for the Yorkshire County Development Program for the 2024/2025 season. This prestigious program offers swimmers enhanced training and development, providing Wiktor with the tools he needs to take his swimming career to even greater heights.

This selection is not only a significant achievement for Wiktor but also a proud moment for Scarborough Swimming Club, which continues to produce top-level swimmers and create opportunities for future stars. Only two had been made the selection from any of Scarborough & District Swimmer Association Clubs Wiktor will be joining Ethan Zulueta from Bridlington Swimming Club on these camps.

A Bright Future for Scarborough Swimming Club

The club’s recent string of successes is a reflection of the unwavering commitment and hard work from both the swimmers and their coaches. Senior Coach Nathan Renshaw expressed his pride in the team’s accomplishments: "The level of talent we have at Scarborough Swimming Club is incredible. It’s a privilege to be part of such a dedicated team, and we’re excited to continue this journey together. Looking ahead, we can’t wait for the Scarborough Swimming Winter Open 2024, which marks its 5th anniversary this year. The meet will host 17 clubs from around the country, and we’re expecting some exciting competition!"

Additionally, the club congratulates Becky Hamlin and Amy Landry on completing their Swim England Level 2 Coaching Qualification. Their achievement enhances the club’s coaching team, ensuring Scarborough Swimming Club continues to provide very best training to its swimmers.

This year, our club achieved a remarkable 4th place finish in the Ridings League, marking a significant improvement from previous seasons when we faced challenges just fielding a full team. A huge Well Done to every swimmer, coach, and supporter for their dedication and hard work!

Coach David Renshaw, along with the club committee and coaching staff, has always been committed to one key principle: every swimmer in the Ridings League should have the opportunity to swim an individual event, whenever possible, and we’re excited to continue this approach throughout 2025 and beyond.

As Coach Renshaw shared, “I’ve won this competition several times using the same philosophy. It fosters a strong, positive team environment where the focus is on every swimmer’s contribution, not on coaches’ egos. It’s about creating a team where everyone understands the value of being part of something bigger than themselves.”

This philosophy has not only made us more competitive but has also strengthened our sense of unity and team spirit. We’re excited for what the future holds and can’t wait to continue building on this success in the seasons ahead!

Looking Forward to More Success

As the club reflects on its recent successes, there’s no doubt that the future is bright for Scarborough Swimming Club. With swimmers like Wiktor Gora continuing to reach new heights and a deep pool of talented swimmers coming through, the club is poised for even more success in the months ahead. The next major milestone will be the Scarborough Swimming Winter Open 2024, where the club will host swimmers from across the country and continue to showcase its talent and ambition.

Congratulations to all the swimmers, coaches, and supporters who continue to make Scarborough Swimming Club a standout club in competitive swimming!

Well Done to the following swimmers –, Jospeh Body, Oliver Hamlin, Elena Williams, Skye Leighton-Armitage, Edie Firth, Eden DeSliva, Charlie Goodwin, Wiktor Gora, Jenson Metcalfe, Thea Renshaw, William Robson, Wilson Stone, Maya Kovacs, Hannah Brown, Eleanor Kirby, Poalo Messenger, Evelyn Koval-Meth, Ruby Hliton, Savannah Foster, Charlote Hanks, Noah Monteith, Maddison Thomspon-Cyrus, Lily Kovacs, Evelyn Foster, Aaron Cowling, Harper Hill, Philippa Thompson, Evie Hamlin, Julia Pawlick, Eleana Williams,,