Seals with success!

Oldham Seals at Oldham Sports Centre

SWIMMING

OLDHAM Seals waved goodbye to the Oldham Sports Centre with a great victory over Atherton and Leigh in Division Two of the Intermediate League.

Despite missing a number of stronger swimmers due to a competition the following day and a bout of illness, the boys and girls more than matched their rivals.

Many of them had to swim extra events and also not their preferred races.

They went into the Intermediate League gala having lost narrowly to Orca — formerly the Royton and Crompton swimming clubs — and overcoming title favourites Stalybridge.

Seals included some younger swimmers in the 11 years and under age group in order to gain valuable gala experience in a higher standard of competition.

Spectator area

A sizeable crowd of parents from both clubs had assembled in the spectator area, and from the opening races it was clear to see the hosts were up for the occasion.

Seals had forged a healthy lead after the individual races, thanks to some great swims across the age ranges.

The relays are always exciting to watch and with the crowd getting behind the youngsters, both clubs had successes in the various age categories and stroke combinations.

The final event was the “canon”, where a girl and a boy from each of the three age groups compete in one continuous relay.

It was a close-run thing, but Seals emerged victorious, much to the delight of the crowd and the team on poolside.

A 180-132 success was a fitting way for Seals’ to finish at the sports centre, before the opening of the new pool facility later in the year.

A win in their remaining league fixture — an away gala at Swinton in October — will earn Seals promotion back to Division One.

Seals head coach Amanda Newman and team manager John Entwistle afterwards praised the youngsters for their efforts in the pool.