Swadlincote Air Cadets Swim to a Win
Dive, Swim, Turn, Swim, Touch! Race after Race, the Sixteen Air Cadets that made up the Swimming team from 1211 (Swadlincote) Squadron each put in an outstanding performance to contribute to winning the Annual South & East Midlands Wing Air Cadet Swimming Championship.
The Competition this year was held at the newly opened Harvey Haddon Sports Village in Nottingham, and saw the Cadets from South Derbyshire competing against 28 other Squadrons from Derby, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire.
In each of the 4 age categories (Boys, Men, Girls, Women), the Cadets swam in different events, including Butterfly, Breaststroke, Backstroke and Freestyle, plus a freestyle relay and an individual Medley.
Having swapped their flying glasses for swimming goggles, the Cadets from 1211 Sqn swam their hearts out to claim the winners trophies in the Boys and Women’s categories and finishing 2nd and 5th in the Men’s and Girls categories respectively. The Cadets combined points score was a phenomenal 197, which saw them lifting the overall winners trophy. In second place was 2425 (Nottingham Airport) Squadron finishing with 155 points and in third place, with 133 points was 1F (City of Leicester) Squadron.
Star performer on the day from 1211 (Swadlincote) Squadron was Cadet Meg Smart (16) from Newhall, Swadlincote, who won the Women’s Butterfly and Freestyle events, came 2nd in the Individual Medley and was part of the winning Women’s team in the Freestyle relay.
Meg and five other Cadets from 1211 Squadron have now been selected to represent the South & East Midlands Wing at the Central & East Region Swimming competition next month.
On their performance, Team Manager, Civilian Instructor Nicole Sigston said, “What an amazing group of Cadets, each one was brilliant and I am immensely proud to have been their team coach today”.