SEAGULLS’ two Abbies led the honours as a large squad from the Christchurch club scooped 19 medals at the Tigersharks Spring Open Meet in Swindon.

Twelve-year-old Abbie Peckham struck gold four times in the 11-12 age group, winning the 100 and 200m butterfly, 200m backstroke and 400m individual medley (IM).

The backstroke and IM times of 2:39.59 and 5:53.31 added to her tally of qualifying times for the South West Age Group Championships, which now stands at five.

The 200m butterfly time of 2:49.24 even qualified her for next year’s regional championship as well as this year’s.

Thirteen-year-old Abbie Noyce’s four medals included at least one of each colour.

Gold came in the 13-14yrs 400m IM in 5:39.98, silver in the 50 and 200m backstroke in 34.02 and 2:33.62 and bronze in the 100m back (1:12.46). She also achieved two regional times.

Max Weeks, 11, finished almost two seconds clear of his nearest challenger as he won the 11-12yrs 50m freestyle in an impressively quick time of 29.40.

He was also second in the 50m breaststroke in 44.37 and third in the 50m butterfly and 200m freestyle in 35.53 and 2:23.44, a time which added to his tally of regional qualifiers.

Seagulls had two swimmers on the podium in the 9-10yrs 50m freestyle.

Gold went to 10-year-old Miles Ward in 34.96 and bronze to Isaac Ellis, aged nine, in 35.32.

Ellis also took silver in the 100 and 200m IM in 1:29.41 and 3:07.40 and a second bronze in the 50m butterfly (40.65).

Jacob O’Hara won silver in the 11-12yrs 100m backstroke and was the fastest 11-year-old in both that and the 50 and 200m back in which he came fourth in 36.55 and 2:41.00.

Ellen Broadfield, 13, added a bronze to the Seagulls tally in the 13-14yrs 50m breaststroke (39.57).

Seagulls’ newly-appointed assistant coach Luke Dormer, who was attending his first meet with the club, said: “It was good to get to know the kids and I was impressed with some gutsy swimming.”

Clayesmore’s Rebecca Holden, 14, returned to Iwerne Minster from Swindon with five medals – silver in the 13-14yrs 200m freestyle in 2:20.09 and 200m IM in 2:40.69 and bronze in the 50m backstroke (34.20), 100m freestyle (1:05.31) and the 100m IM (1:18.47).