A MAGNIFICENT performance by Simon Le Couilliard earned him the top overall male trophy at the AIB Tigers Annual Open Swim Meet.

The event was held at Les Quennevais from Friday to Sunday and Tigers swimmer and Rhodes Island Games star Le Couilliard impressed as he took five wins and one second place to also be crowned the top male at 16 years and over.

With more than 260 swimmers competing from 13 different clubs, swimmers were pushed to the maximum in what for some was their first open meet of the season.

Showing promising early form, Tigers’ JJ Gallichan gave Le Couilliard a run for his money in the 200m freestyle.

Gallichan just missed out on the win by 0.64 second, but secured a crucial national qualifying time, achieving his second national time in the 400m freestyle.

Fellow Tiger Emma Glendening also swam a national time in the 50m freestyle and had a great swim in the 100m freestyle, recording 60.72 sec for the second time this season to qualify for the Southern Counties.

She came away with five silver medals and two bronze in total.

Her sister Katy Glendening (Tigers) wasthe top 12-year-old female swimmer after recording one win, two seconds and three third-place finishes.

Sarah-Jane Smith (Tigers) also won a top girl award for the 16 years and over class as she took two wins and a second place.

However, neither performance was good enough for the overall female swimmer award, which went to Llantrisant Sharks’ Danielle Stirrat for a staggering 12 wins – seven of which broke meet records.

This personal performance no doubt helped the Welsh club to the top visiting team prize.

Tigers won a total of 107 medals from the meet – 34 gold, 41 silver, and 32 bronze – and both 13-year-old Charlotte Manning and Tom Gallichan (14-15 years) showed great early form to come away with a handful of medals each.

The club were also strong in the 11 years and under age group, as Emily Bashforth had a great weekend to win five golds and three silvers, while Henry Job, who won gold in the 50m backstroke and five other medals, had to settle for silver in the 200m backstroke despite swimming below the meet record.

Jersey Swimming Club also looked strong and won 11 medals at the event.

James Walwyn (12-13 years) secured a gold in the 50m freestyle along with one silver and two bronze medals, and there were also top-three finishes from Liam Spencer (12-13 – two bronze) and Robin Johnson (16 and over), who won a bronze in the 50m breast-stroke.

In the girls, Jemma Carter impressed in the 16 years and over group as she swam to two seconds and two thirds.

Also in this age group, Iona Richardson won a silver and two bronze medals.

In the 14-15 years’ events Rebecca Le Maistre won a silver and bronze, and Pippa Whitehead also took bronze.

Full results are available on www.jerseytigers.co.uk.