Bogac Aythan

Pool star Bogac in top display

STAR swimmer Bogac Ayhan captured a qualification time for the National Age Groups over the weekend following a series of perfect pool performances at the UK Challenge Meet held in Hatfield.
Competing for Camden Swiss Cottage Swimming Club, the talented 13-year-old went flat out in the 100m split to hit a time of 1.05.99 in his 200m butterfly event, capturing a best time of 2.32.71 overall. Ayhan also recorded a top time in the 200m freestyle when he touched home in 2.12.03.
Club mate Harry Needs was also in outstanding form as he set new club records in the 100m and 200m breaststroke with times of 1.09.39 and 2.29.74 respectively, finishing third in both competitions.
Alex Mackay continued to rewrite the record books when he shaved 11 seconds off his personal best time in the 400m freestyle with a National qualifying time of 4.12.42 to finish third. The highly rated 15-year-old also hit personal best times in the 100m and 200m freestyle when he touched home in 58.04 and 2.01.75 respectively.
Elsewhere, Reut Benaim, 12, won the 10-12 girls’ 100m fly, while 13-year-olds Felix Samuels and Ensger Kotterink sealed podium finishes in their respective 13-14 age group events. Felix also went on to finish second in the 50m and 100m freestyle, before taking third place in the 100m fly with another club record.
The previous week Felix qualified for the Nationals in the 100m free with a long course time of 57.98 at the Rotherham Metro Meet. Teammate Ensger, another National qualifier, also did well to finish second in the 200m individual medley in an outstanding time of 2.20.52 and third in the 200m fly.
Devon Robins, 13, was in top form at Hatfield with a third place finish in the 100m and 200m breaststroke, recording a personal best time of 2.49.56 in the 200m event.
Sarah Taylor Reid, 11, was Camden’s youngest swimmer at this top class meet and did well in the 10-12 age group as she finished seventh in the 50m free-style and eighth in the 100m breaststroke.
Camden Swiss Cottage also sent a top team of swimmers to the Enfield Open over the weekend.
The club’s top performer was Edward Graham, who took double gold after winning both the 400m freestyle and individual medley events. The talented 13-year-old also took silver in the 200m breaststroke and bronze in the 100m breaststroke and 200m backstroke. Alice Hodder continued the medal rush as she won gold in the 200m freestyle with a personal best time of 2.23.40, silver in the 100m freestyle and bronze in the 200m-breaststroke.
There were also medals for Camilla Grossman, Callum McDougall, Tamsin McKinnon, Santiago Parilli, Rachael Morton, Samantha Thomas, Eugene Potter, James Burgess, Paloma Friedrich and Lucas Perry-Hill.