Youngsters in the swim for trophy

TWO children have received special commendations for their swimming prowess at the Kinloss Pool.

Andrew and Daniella get their hands on the silverware

Ten year old Andrew McIntyre has been awarded the Gareth Nicholas Memorial Trophy for the most improved swimmer.

Runner up was Daniella Lewis (4) from Brodie who’s swimming has gone from strength to strength.

Andrew, a pupil at Mosstowie Primary School was awarded the trophy for the progress he has made over the past five years, since first starting lessons at the pool.

Andrew said: ‘I am really excited about winning the trophy!’ and he meant it. It took him several years to gain confidence just being in water.

Early on, he struggled just to let go of the handrail. Now with perseverance of himself, his family and teachers at the pool, Andrew is now able to swim unaided on both his front and back.

Meanwhile, Daniella has taken to swimming like a duck to water. She started off warily in the Adult and Child Group but has progressed through the Teddy’s swim stage to taking lessons in the main swimming pool and is now almost at the stage where she can swim unaided for 10 metres.

Andrew was awarded the Gareth Nicholas Memorial Trophy, which was awarded in memory of Flight Lieutenant Nicholas who was killed in Afghanistan as the result of the Nimrod MR2 XV 230 crash in 2006. Gareth was a very active member on the pool committee on which he served as Officer in Charge of Maintenance and his dedication to this voluntary position assisted in ensuring the pool remained open and he helped keep the running costs down.

The pool committee decided that his efforts with the pool before his tragic death should be marked annually in the Autumn with the presentation of the Gareth Nicholas Memorial Trophy,  in his memory, to the most improved swimmer from the previous year.