Double Olympian and British record holder, Jemma Lowe, inspired City’s swimmers last weekend as some of the best swimmers of the future competed at the City of Oxford Swimming Club Level 3 Open Meet at Leys Pool and Leisure Centre.

Jemma, who has recently begun her own business selling swim and fitness gear, said that the Fusion Leisure facility at Leys was fantastic venue and a great place to compete. She spent the day talking to the younger swimmers about her own experiences and signing autographs and said, ‘it’s great to see all the swimmers having fun’.

Falling at a crucial time in the competition schedule for gaining county qualifying times, this was the largest Level 3 meet held by COSC yet. The competition saw swimmers from all over the Oxford and North Bucks county region, Hillingdon, Cheltenham and even some from as far away as Cornwall come together to compete in what is already being known as a ‘fast pool’.

City’s youngsters acquitted themselves in true style – displaying superb speed and skills to take numerous medals and plenty of first place speeding tickets (speeding tickets are issued at galas when a competitor has had such a good swim they exceed the upper qualifying time for this level and are deemed ‘too fast for gold’).

For City’s girls Ayanna Fulga (age 11) and Elise Lawrence (age 17) shone, both taking six first places and two second places in their respective age groups, Georgina Butler (age 15) took four first places, one second and two third.

For the boys, City’s 10 year-olds dominated the results sheets with Lachlan Middleton taking four first places, one second place and twice took third with Ethan Bird coming first twice, six second place finishes and third twice.