This event traditionally has been the route to the Irish Minor Schools Championship, but some confusion exists surrounding this years qualification.

Nevertheless Portora Royal School and the Enniskillen Model Primary Schools entered swimmers to compete on behalf of their schools.

Portora Year nines, Kealan McShea and Lewis McCartney, travelled up on the Friday Night and competed in different events. Kealan was first up in the 50m backstroke and finished 4th qualifying for the final. Lewis was up next and swam to a new personal best finishing equal second, also qualifying for the later finals. 

 

Lewis also swam 32.72 seconds, a new PB, in the 50m freestyle to finish 9th overall. Kealan bettered his time and place in the 50m backstroke final to finish with bronze and a time of 37.83. Kealan swam to a second bronze in the 100m IM with a new PB of 1:20.51. Lewis also improved his time in the final, 42.62 and finished the event with a silver.

 

Saturday saw the younger swimmers compete; Enniskillen Model Schools Year sevens Sophia Williams and Ellie McCartney took to the pool in the afternoon. Sophia swam a PB of 47.60 in the 50m backstroke, just missing out on the finals but upped her game in the freestyle to qualify fifth for the final.

 

Ellie, the current Ulster and Irish Minor Schools Champion cruised to the final of the 50m breaststroke. 

 

The 50m freestyle final saw Sophia a new PB to finish fifth with a time of 38.51. Ellie had qualified for the final with a time of 42.30 and during the event she swam under 40 seconds in a gala for the first time finishing with the gold  in a time of 39.26 to become the Ulster Minor Schools U11 Champion. Ellie also added the 100m Individual Medley title.

 

They will have to do it all again for the Swim Ulster Schools championship in two weeks in Bangor.