Neptunes Swimmers in Berlin Meet

During December a number of Neptunes’ swimmers were engaged in the Christmas Age-Group Swimming Meeting held in Berlin, Germany. The team was composed of 18 swimmers between the age of 10 and 18 years and was under the guidance of club head-coach Gail Rizzo and junior squad coach Keith Bartolo.

Competing against 80 other swimmers representing clubs from Denmark, Poland, Switzerland and host country, Germany, the Maltese swimmers figured on a number of occasions on the podium amongst the medal winners. Personal best times were achieved in 80% of the races entered into by the Neptunes swimmers that also resulted in several high ranking placings.

The medal winners in the female category were:
Mya Azzopardi (born 2002), the youngest swimmer in the squad, who won a Bronze medal in 50m Butterfly and a Gold medal in 100m Butterfly.
Sarah Demicoli (born 2000) who won a Bronze medal in the 200m Butterfly.

In the male category, Kyle Buhagiar (born 2001) won three Silver medals in 100 Freestyle, 50m Breast stroke and 50m Freestyle.
New Malta Age-Group long-course swimming records were also not lacking as one can see from the following list:
Mya Azzopardi – Girls Group A
50m Butterfly – new time of 0:36,52

Sarah Demicoli – Girls Group B
200m Butterfly – new time of 2:46,17

Neil Muscat – Boys Group C
100m Freestyle – new time 0:56,04 & 200m Freestyle 2:05,09

The squad now resumes training in preparation for the next major swimming competition in Malta after Easter.

Incidentally, during the same month four national team members broke eight Maltese short-course records when competing in an international meet in Istanbul.

The swimmers were Andrew Chetcuti who broke the 50 metres Free (22.95), the 100 and 200 Free (49.92 and 1:53.46) and the 50 ’Fly (24.56), Andrea Agius 50 metres Breast (29.37), Nicola Muscat 50 and 100 Free (26.68 and 58.05) and Michaela Millo 200 Breast (2:39.85), the last mentioned two being Neptunes’ swimmers