Otters Olympic Pool Bonanza

Diss Otters sent teams to two galas last weekend. A more experienced team of seventeen swimmers travelled for a weekend away in London to swim at the iconic London Aquatic Centre pool within the setting of the Olympic Park in Stratford. Meanwhile a team of ten development swimmers took to the water in a long course gala organised by City of Norwich swimming club at the UEA Sportspark.

Firstly to events in London which saw the Otters take on swimmers from twenty six different clubs from across London and the South East. An amazing return of 46 medals from just 105 swims consisting of 16 golds, 15 silvers and 15 bronzes. This together with 41 new personal best times sent the team back to Norfolk with heads held high.

London squad details were - Max Ashken (2G,4S,1B), Callum Blair, Noah Blair(1B), Harry Button(1B), Harrison Fall, Imogen Grimes(3G,1S,1B), Nathan Hunt(1S), Forbes Irvine, Thea Irvine(2G,2S,4B), Alex Jackson, Cassia Miller(3G,1S,1B), Ottilie Miller(1B), Matthew Munnings(1G,1B), Rosie Munnings(1G,2S,1B), Fin Neve(3S,1B), Ciaran Strike(1B), Matthew Tatum(4G,1S,1B).

In Norwich the ten swimmers who gained valuable long course pool experience over the weekend, took an incredible 38 new personal best times back to Diss from only 46 races swum - an 82% return. There was also the bonus of a silver medal for Donald Perrin in the 50m freestyle for 9 year olds.

Norwich squad members were Angus Betts, Portia Bloomfield, Jodi Brown, Tatim Brown, Abi Chisman, Grace Cook, Eleanor Godbold, Donald Perrin, Laurie Shearer and Mya Sidwell.

30 Medal Haul for Diss Otters

A squad of 22 swimmers from Diss Otters Swimming Club took part in this years Warwick Thompson Memorial Gala at Thetford's Waterworld pool last weekend.

A total of 116 individual swims by the Otters over the two day gala made sure that their supporters had plenty of action to watch and the results gave them plenty to cheer about.

82 top 8 swims were achieved, and from that the swimmers brought home a staggering 30 medals, consisting of 6 golds, 12 silvers and 12 bronzes.

The full Otters squad and medals won were as follows, Eleanor Godbold (1S), Alex Jackson (1B), Abigail Chisman (1B), Andrea Altadonna (1S), Ella Goodswen, Faye Wilson (1S,1B), Olivia Shadbolt (1G), Abigail Fletcher, Seren Jones, Molly Wilson (1S), Lily Ellis (2S,3B), David Cosgrove (1G,1S,2B), Finlay Neve (1G,1S), Ciaran Strike (1B), Jon Barber (1G,1S), Jacob Shadbolt (1B), Ella Townsend (2S,1B), Brandon Crisp (2G), Grace Cook (1S), Portia Bloomfield, Kyla Dalliston (1B) and Mya Sidwell. 

The Otters hit the water next when a squad of over 20 swimmers take part in a two day gala at the London Olympics Aquatic Centre on the 7th and 8th of March.

Diss Otters Make Waves at County Championships

County Gala 2020

Diss Otters had one of their most successful County Championship galas in recent years, when over the last three weekends a squad of 37 swimmers from the club took to the pool at the UEA Sportspark in Norwich.This gala is the biggest event most club swimmers take part in and qualification for its various events, from 50m to 1500m is the benchmark that swimmers look to achieve throughout the year.

Diss Otters competitors took part in 176 individual swims, converting 70 of those into finals reached or top 8 finishes. Out of those finals reached the club won 17 medals - 1 gold, 7 silver and 9 bronze as well as achieving many new personal best times.

Highlights of the gala included Elliott Barkway being crowned 12 year old boys butterfly champion, Finley Neve (with 6 medals) finishing 3rd overall in the 12 year old boys category, and Rosie Munnings receiving her Norfolk County Colours for representing the county in galas on 3 occasions.

Diss Otters squad and medals as follows - Thea Irvine, Matthew Tatum (1S,1B), Callum Blair, Harry Daly (1B), Matthew Munnings, Grace Cook, Lily-Anne Jones, Rosie Munnings (2S,1B), Imogen Grimes, Charlotte Gates, Finley Neve (3S,3B), Forbes Irvine, Oslo Chapman, Brandon Crisp, Kathryn Wood, Olivia Chapman, Noah Blair (1S,1B), Lucas Blair (1B), Ciaran Strike, Blossom Day, Faye Wilson, Amber Daly, Portia Bloomfield, Cassia Miller, Otillie Miller, Ella Townsend, Alex Jackson, Laurie Shearer, Angus Betts, Elliott Barkway (1G,1B), Heidi Noakes, Donald Perrin, Kyla Dalliston, Emily Rose, Harry Button, Olivia Shadbolt and Nathan Hunt.

Diss also took part in the County relay gala with an inexperienced young squad, and although ultimately finishing in sixth position there were lots of positives to be taken from the event into future years.

County Gala 2020
County Gala 2020

The next action the Otters will see is an exciting opportunity, with a squad of around 20 heading to the London 2012 Olympics Aquatic centre in Stratford for a 2 day gala at the start of March.

Otters PB Bonanza

Diss Otters sent a squad of twenty five swimmers to the City of Norwich November Gala at UEA Sportspark on Sunday, and from 152 swims achieved an amazing 95 new personal bests based on entry times.The squad also collected 28 medals - 5 golds, 7 silvers and 16 bronzes.

Medal winners for the team were Max Ashken, Callum Blair, Forbes Irvine, Thea Irvine, Lily-Anne Jones, Rosie Munnings, Donald Perrin, Matthew Tatum and Kathryn Wood.

Rosie Munnings also finished third in the overall points competition for the top girl trophy.

Earlier in the month the club held their annual presentation night at Hope Church in Vinces Road, Diss with over 200 swimmers and parents in attendance. 

They were treated to the premiere of a film of highlights made during the clubs recent swim camp in Majorca where ex Olympians Jemma Lowe and Thomas Hatfield put the clubs swimmers through some tough training both in and out of the pool, with over 20 hours swimming completed during their weeks stay.

At the presentation evening Callum Blair (pictured) was presented with the Chairman's Cup for Gallantry and Jon Barber and Fin Neve received trophies for Top and Most Improved Boy, while Portia Bloomfield and Lily-Anne Jones received Top and Most Improved Girl awards.

Diss Otters triumph in the Steel city

A busy spell of competitions in the pool ended this weekend with success in the Steel city of Sheffield.

To start off the club's run of galas was the Summer Splash Development Gala with twenty nine swimmers competing at Diss Leisure Centre. Designed to enable inexperienced and novice swimmers take their first steps on the competitive ladder the Otters came away with plenty of medals and new personal bests and most importantly of all some invaluable experience of the gala environment.

The club also took part in the Senior Fenland League which got underway with two heats held at Kings Lynn and Thetford respectively. Diss were drawn in the Thetford event and were up against squads from the hosts Thetford, City of Ely, March Marlins and Mildenhall.

After an evening of great racing at Waterworld it was Thetford who won the event with 375 points followed by Ely 325, Diss 257, March 242 and Mildenhall 89. The Otters now progress to the B final as top seeds and will race against March and Mildenhall from their heat together with St Neots and Bottisham from the King's Lynn event.

Finally as mentioned at the start of this report a team of Diss Otters performance squad swimmers made the journey north to Sheffield for the Derventio Excel Summer Spectacular held at the prestigious Ponds Forge International Venue.

Amazingly the club came away with twenty seven medals and also won the top visiting club award beating off competition from all over the country to triumph.

Otters County Challenge Success

Eleven swimmers from Diss Otters took to the pool at Dereham Leisure Centre last weekend in the Norfolk ASA County Challenge Gala.

In a competitive event comprising swimmers from nearly all of Norfolk's clubs the Otters came away with some excellent results, including twelve medals from just fifty two individual swims.

More of a guide to a swimmers progression is their ability to improve their own times and the squad produced thirty six new personal bests over the weekend.

The squad and medal winners were Olivia Chapman (2S), Oslo Chapman (2S,3B), Harry Button (1G,1S,1B), Amber Daly (2B), Ella Townsend, Lily Ellis, Laurie Shearer, Ciaran Strike, Nathan Hunt, Portia Bloomfield and Phoebe Tovell.

Regional Qualifiers

Diss Otters sponsors Hughes Electrical  presented commemorative shirts to the three swimmers who have qualified for this years Swim England Eastern Regional Championships.Matthew Munnings (50m & 100m butterfly) and Daniel Bachu (50m butterfly) swim at Luton in the older age groups weekend whilst Rosie Munnings (50m & 100m freestyle plus 50m breaststroke) swims at Norwich in the younger age groups weekend.

The three swimmers are pictured with Chris Strike of Hughes and Diss Otters Head Coach Liam Harvey 

Diss Otters Latest News

A busy few weeks have seen Diss Otters swimmers compete in two events with more to come over the next couple of months. First up was the Norfolk Junior Inter Club Gala with the Otters finishing a creditable sixth place with a largely inexperienced squad, many swimmers competing in the event for the first time.

Over the Easter holiday weekend four of the clubs performance squad swimmers took part in the level one City of Norwich Easter Meet, which saw clubs travel from all over the country to the UEA Sportspark pool. Highlights of the gala for the Otters saw Matthew Munnings take gold in the boys 15/16 years 100m butterfly event and Matthew Tatum collected a bronze in the boys 17 and over 200m backstroke. Harry Button swam in the boys 15/16 years 50m backstroke and picked up a new personal best time while Rosie Munnings reached the final of the girls 13/14 years 100m breaststroke.

Looking ahead to the next few weeks sees the ASA East of England Regional Championships held over two weekends in May. Matthew Munnings (50m and 100m butterfly) and Daniel Bachu (50m butterfly) make the trip to Luton for swimmers aged 14 and over, while Rosie Munnings (50m and 100m freestyle plus 50m breaststroke) pops up the A140 to Norwich for the 13 and under swimmers.

Finally looking further ahead to June and July sees Otters swimmers targetting the Norfolk County Challenge Gala held at Dereham and also the second in the series of new development galas - aptly titled "Summer Splash" - held at Diss Leisure Centre.

Otters Strike Gold at Swan Gala

Sixteen swimmers from Diss Otters Swimming Club took to the pool at the UEA Sportspark last weekend to take part in the Norwich Swan Open Gala.Held over two days, with morning and afternoon sessions it gave competitors the chance to compete in various races over distances from 50m to 400m.

Out of a total of 65 individual swims the Otters came back down the A140 with a haul of 9 gold,13 silver and 11 bronze medals which was a terrific return for the weekends efforts.

The squad members were Ciaran Strike, Harry Daly, Matthew Tatum, Kathryn Wood, Imogen Grimes, Noah Blair, Callum Blair, Matthew Munnings, Amber Daly, Cassia Miller, Ottilie Miller, Daniel Bachu, Millie Bachu, Ellen Davidson, Nathan Hunt and Finlay Neve.

Next up on the Otters competition calender is the Norfolk Junior Inter Club Gala on Saturday 6th April, followed by the City of Norwich Easter meet over the holiday weekend.

New Springboard Gala a Great Hit!

Diss Otters Swimming Club held their inaugural Springboard Development Gala at Diss Leisure Centre on Saturday 9th March.Being a development gala means that the event is aimed at the less experienced swimmers in the Junior squads, and it gives them the chance to get races and times under their belts away from the bigger Open Galas which in the future they will progress to.

Over 60 swimmers took part in the gala with swimmers from Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft & Oulton Broad joining the team from Diss.

Races in all strokes over 25m and 50m together with a 100m Medley race made up the programme and the Otters had a terrific evening. Out of 146 individual swims saw a medal return of 29 golds, 31 silvers and 23 bronzes.

Many parents and older swimmers gave up their time to volunteer with various tasks, in addition to the ever supportive band of race officials, which saw the gala run smoothly and it was so well received that planning is underway for another similar event in the summer. 
Thanks must also go to the events main sponsor which was Dipple and Conway Opticians.

The Diss Otters squad members were David Cosgrove, Forbes Irvine, Toby Townsend, Henry Cripps, Jon Barber, Blossom Day, Faye Wilson, Ella Townsend, Heidi Noakes, Phoebe Tovell, Molly Wilson, Elizabeth Looker, Emma Neve, Freya Button, Molly Kershaw, Evan Tovell, Donald Perrin, Reuben Looker, Edward Hoy, Gabriel Thompson, Jacob Shadbolt, Kyla Dalliston, Amber Daly, Eleanor Godbold, Portia Bloomfield, Abi Chisman, Laurie Shearer, Ella Goodswen, Mya Sidwell, Tiggy Miller, Lucas Blair, Alex Jackson and Harrison Fall.