At the invitation of the Club’s new sponsors, Specsavers, members of the Beau Sejour Barracudas Swimming Club were treated to a motivational weekend with Steve Parry, Olympic Bronze medalist and one of Britain’s greatest ever swimmers.

With 11 major titles under his belt in a career spanning over 10 years, Steve retired at the top of his Game after winning his Olympic medal in Athens 2004 and is now dedicated to improving the standard of swimming on a national scale and is also one of the BBC’s most popular sports pundits.

At a reception held at the Duke of Richmond Hotel on Friday evening attended by senior swimmers, parents, teachers, coaches, sponsors and special guests, Steve kept the audience captivated as he talked openly about his swimming career, the Olympic Games, how he turned failure into success and how his team and his parents were fundamental to his success.

Members of the Beau Sejour Barracudas Swimming Club had a string of successes throughout the age groups in this year’s Channel Island Championships, held at Les Quennevais Pool, in Jersey.

Sixteen-year-old Joshua Lewis produced one of the most outstanding performances by winning nine gold medals in the 16+ age group – his times in five of them being the fastest of the day making him the Channel Island champion in the men’s 100 and 200 individual medley, and the 50, 100 and 200 breaststroke – the shortest distance being a new championship record of 32.05sec.

Beau Sejour Barracudas Swimming Club sent a team of 45 young swimmers aged from eight to 12 years to the 20th Up and Comers Sprint Meet staged by Tigers Swimming Club of Jersey.

This is an encouragement event for the four Channel Islands clubs aimed at those who have not yet reached medal standard at CI level.

Consideration times are set with ‘speeding tickets’ being issued to those swimmers recording times three seconds faster than their entry times.

The Barracudas swam well, returning with a huge medal haul of no fewer than 11 gold, 14 silver and 17 bronze medals.

Competing in the 10-year age group, Daisy de Garis excelled, winning gold medals in two events – the 50m freestyle and 50m butterfly in 36.38 and 50.24 respectively. She also received a silver medal in the 100m individual medley and a bronze in the 50m breaststroke.

Double gold also went to 10-year-old Jack Ewins, who placed first in the 100m IM and 50m breaststroke recording 1-42.73 and 52.73 as well as placing third in the 50m freestyle and butterfly.

Jack Le Tissier, taking part in his first CI competition at just eight years old, produced stylish performances to take gold in the 50m breaststroke and 100m IM as well as securing a bronze in the 50m freestyle.

A personal best time by more than 34 seconds ensured an excellent win in the 12/13 age group for Chloe Tostevin in the 400m individual medley event of the NRG Series, staged by the Beau Sejour Barracudas Swimming Club.

Swimming at the bottom of the age group, Tostevin (pictured) led from the start of this gruelling event, gaining an advantage on her four lengths of butterfly and holding on to complete the 16 lengths in a great time of 6-06.06.

Fastest times of the day came from Jonathon Le Noury and Lotte Parfit.

Parfit secured her six points in the series recording 5-26.11 while Le Noury touched in a respectable time of 4-55.08.

The boys’ 12/13 age group swam well with some great personal best times.