Name: Connor Neal 

Sport: Athletics 

Best achievement in the last 12 months: 4th place at England Senior Championships in 400m (Chelmsford , 23 July 2023). 

Bio: Hi, my name is Connor and I am a National 400m runner. I joined Thanet Athletics Club in 2010 and have been competing in athletics for 11 years, but have only been competing at National level since 2020. My greatest achievement so far is becoming England Under 23 Champion in 400m in 2022, and I am currently Kent Senior Champion for 200m. My goal for this year is to represent Great Britain in the 4x400 relay at the European Championships in Rome. 

Name: Ismae Abomeli 

Sport: Athletics 

Best achievement in the last 12 months: Becoming the South of England U15 Long jump champion in January, jumping 5.20m which places me 6th in the UK. South of England silver medallist in 200m.

Bio: Hello, my name is Ismae Abomeli. Athletics has always been a part of my life since i was little. I've watched elite athletes compete at Olympics in 2012, since then the London anniversary games and the commonwealth games in Birmingham. I decided I wanted to give it ago, I started training the age of 8 at Thanet Athletic Club which is situated in Ramsgate. I still train with them now but specialise in sprinting . Every other week I travel to London and train at Lee Valley Athletic Centres with my long jump coach John Herbert who is a GBR Olympian triple jumper. I love Athletics there are a lots of different events to explore. Overtime I have found events which I enjoy the most and are best suited to my ability. I believe it is quite an inclusive sport for everyone to enjoy and not only is an individual person sport, there are events and opportunities to work as a team. I also love the fact that Athletics has helped me in other areas of my life, such as becoming a more confident person also the sport benefits my mental health. It gives me a chance to focus on other things instead of just school and exams . I've competed in lots of different competitions all over the county , including pentathlons . I have competed at many County championships and some South of England Championships & Nationals over the years . My main events are 200 metres and Long jump. I've also run 100 metres from time to time and when there is the opportunity for a relay I compete in them . Previously i have also competed in the Kent Relay Championships where my team placed in 1st and 2nd place. Every year since 2021 I have competed in the KYAL series. However for example last year I had to miss out on a couple of them in order to prioritise the bigger and more significant competitions such as South of England Championships.

Name: Rosie Pope

Sport: Swimming

Best achievement in the last 12 months: Finaled in the 200 Fly at the 2023 British Championships (25, July 2023). Gold medal for the 800m Freestyle at the 2024 Kent County Championships (27, January 2024)

Bio: Hello, my name is Rosie. I have been swimming with Thanet Swim Club since I was 7 years old and am now a member of their Youth Performance Squad. I competed in my first National competition, the English Summer Championships, in 2022 where I PB'd in all my events and won Silver in the 1500m Free and Bronze in the 400m Freestyle. In 2023, I went better and I competed at my first British Summer Championships where I successfully made the finals of the 200m Butterfly event (I PB'd in the heat and again in the final). I am currently on rankings to compete in my second British Championships. I have competed very successfully at both County and Regional level and have won many medals at this level in my favourite events (Free, Back and Fly). I am ranked in the Top 15 nationally for the 200m Butterfly and am also currently ranked 3rd in the region. This year I was selected for the Swim England Talent pathway for my distance swimming. I love training (most of the time!) and the sense of achievement of hitting my times in our sessions. I really enjoy land training in the gym and do extra sessions at Ramsgate Leisure Centre when I can. I have made some amazing friends through swimming not only at Thanet but also with those I compete against/with from other clubs.

Name: Ivy Haggerty

Sport: Swimming

Best achievement in the last 12 months: Qualifying for British Nationals and English Championships again.
Open and Junior Kent County Champion for 800m Free and Junior Kent County Champion for 1500m Free

Bio: I am a passionate swimmer who has been with Thanet Swim Club since I was 8 years old. My biggest achievement to date was winning English National Championships in the 400IM in 2022. I have also been Kent and South East regional champion many times. And I have also ran at the English National cross-country finals. I really enjoy swimming. I currently swim 18 hours a week and gym up to 3 times a week.

Name: Stuart Perry

Sport: Beach and Indoor Volleyball

Best achievement in the last 12 months: Represented England during the indoor tournament at CEV European Championships. Stuart also played in the Conachia World Cup at Boswells School.
Represented England in both the U20's and U18 CEV European Championships. Currently Ranked No. 1 under 19 in the UK and plays on the adult UK beach Tour. 

Bio: I discovered Beach and indoor Volleyball in 2019 and started playing just before March 2020. I fell in love with the sport and used my time in lockdown to learn all I could about it. I practised my ball control and kept my fitness up. When lockdown was eased my team returned to play and I was successful after a few months of training to be selected for the Volleyball England Talent pathway. I have been with Volleyball England ever since. I play beach and indoors at Invicta Volleyball where I am part of the National Volleyball League.
I have represented England in Europe both on the beach and indoors and I aim to represent England on the World Pro Tour and the Olympics.

Name: Regan Rayner

Sport: Swimming

Best achievement in the last 12 months: Regan competed in Birmingham with his school relay team to compete for the national school relay gala. Regan also represented his school in the 4x50 freestyle relay and 4x50 medley relay and qualified for the Kent County Championship for 50m fly, 100m fly and 200m back.

Bio: In 2018, I began my training with Thanet Swim Club. Since then, I have worked hard and have successfully secured qualification for the Kent County Championship competition every year. One of the highlights of my swimming journey was representing my school at a national relay gala in Birmingham. It was an incredible experience to compete at the same venue where the Commonwealth Games took place.

Name: Harry Thompson

Sport: Swimming

Best achievement in the last 12 months: After swimming for Thanet Swim Club since I was 9, I have achieved Kent times every year. I am 10th in the county for 200 fly.

Bio: My name is Harry Thompson and I swim in the Thanet Swim Club senior competition squad, I have been swimming since I was 9. I love all sports especially swimming and football and generally keeping fit. I have a lot of energy and swimming really helps me to use my that in a positive way, it helps me focus on my studies at school too. I enjoy racing and being part of a successful team.

Name: Elliot Hogben

Sport: Swimming

Best achievement in the last 12 months: In November 2024 I became East Invicta Champion for 13 year olds, having collected the most points across three days of competition. In February I qualified for the Kent Swimming Championships in 10 events across all 4 strokes, coming away with 4 medals, two 4th places for the 400 IM and 200 backstroke and finalist medals for the 100 backstroke and 400 freestyle. I also qualified for the South East England Regional Championships swimming the 100 and 200 backstroke.

Bio: After completing the Your Leisure Swim School programme I joined my club Herne Bay Swimming Club in 2021 just after covid and quickly discovered a real passion for swimming. I love competing and try to enter as many races as I can really proving myself as a great all-rounder. Alongside this is the many hours spent training with my club who provide me with a close group of friends who understand what a swimmer's life is all about. We use this friendship to help and support each other and I recently became Vice Captain of my club which is an amazing honour. Swimming has given me so much more than medals and has helped me focus, become disciplined, gain confidence and enabled me to meet a few Olympians!!!!! Who knows what the future will bring but I will be a swimmer for life.

Name: Zachary Ansell

Sport: Swimming

Best achievement in the last 12 months: Qualifying for the Nationals, Regionals and County Swimming meets.

Bio: I started swimming in July 2022 at the age of 11. I like swimming because it has both team and solo aspects to it and there are always ways to improve yourself;. technique, skills and endurance.

Name: Jake Sackett

Sport: Swimming

Best achievement in the last 12 months: I have achieved Kent Regional Championship 2025 Consideration Time in 50m Backstroke 00:33.49. I have competed each year in the East Invictas Championships placing top 6 in backstroke and freestyle.

Bio: I have been swimming as part of Thanet Swim Club since I was 7 years old, committing to training and galas to work up to the Senior Competition Squad and qualifying to enter the Kent County Championships 2025.
I enjoy all elements of swimming but freestyle and backstroke are my preferred strokes, alongside Individual Medley.

Name: Callum Geoghegan

Sport: Swimming

Best achievement in the last 12 months: I qualified for the Kent County Championships in several events including Breaststroke, Backstroke, Freestyle, and IM races (and placed within the top 10 in the county for the 800m Freestyle and 400m IM, in January and February 2025). I also met the South East Regional 2024 consideration times for the 400m IM and 1,500m Freestyle. In June 2024, I competed at the South East Regional Open Water Championships (a 2km race) and finished in eighth place in my age group.

Bio: I started swimming with Thanet Swim Club when I was seven years old. I love both training and racing, and spend up to 12.5 hours a week training at Hartsdown and Ramsgate Leisure Centres. My favourite races are the Individual Medleys and Breaststroke. I really enjoy improving my skills and training alongside my friends, with the support of my coaches.

Name: Josh Tallamy

Sport: Swimming

Best achievement in the last 12 months: The last year has been the most exciting one in the pool for me. I competed in my second East Invicta Championships, taking gold in the 400m Freestyle, and qualified for two races at the Kent County Championships (50m Backstroke, 100m Backstroke). I also participated in the South East Region Open Water Championships, racing 2km in rainy conditions.

Bio: My swimming journey started when I was just four, with Your Leisure. After completing all of the Swim School stages and some of the summer crash courses, I progressed to Thanet Swim Club when I was 7. I’m now in the Age Group Performance squad and train up to seven times a week, with an hour of land training. I love challenging myself, spending time with my friends, and working hard.

Name: Frederick Squire-Eastwood

Sport: Rugby

Best achievement in the last 12 months: In the last 12 months, I played in the Kent schools final, won 7s tournament, being undefeated to date in the 24/25 season in all competitions. I have also recently completed in a 60-minute game for Kent saracens against Essex beating them convincingly. However, without a doubt my greatest achievement is being selected to play for Saracens Kent PDG and playing in Saracens professional stadium the StoneX against counties such as Essex, Hertfordshire, Sussex.

Bio: Hello, my name is Freddie Squire-Eastwood. Rugby and sport have been a huge part of my life, playing rugby from the age of 4 at Thanet Wanderers Rugby Club, football at Ramsgate Football Club, playing cricket at Sandwich Town Cricket Club as well as golf at North Foreland Golf Club. I played football until the age of 14 where I won multiple trophies in the highest division of southeast football (Kent League) until deciding to focus my sports career on taking rugby to the next level; however still competing in cricket during the summer break as a medium fast, all-rounder and golf off an 18 handicap on long course and a 5 on the short course. When deciding my step to the next level I got the opportunity from the Canterbury coaches to join them from Thanet which was one of the best decisions I have ever made improving my game vastly, making new friends, winning games and tournaments mostly dominating Kent rugby. Last year I was signed by egg chasers 7’s to play for their southeast England academy where I trained for them at Reigate rugby club and won a tournament for them in the summer. Not only did I win this 7’s tournament but in Kent 7’s at Folkestone RFC, my team (Canterbury) won the whole tournament beat Old Alleynians in the final. Over the last year, I had been going to Saracens Development player program to try and get into the Kent academy, when in September I received the news that I had been selected to play scrum half for the academy, this is an amazing opportunity which I hope to remain in for my junior rugby career hopefully leading on to bigger things. The reason for this application is to build my strength, speed and cardiovascular endurance to help me develop to be at the highest level of fitness to perform at my highest potential.

Name: Finlay Smith

Sport: Swimming

Best achievement in the last 12 months: In the last 12 months I have competed at the Kent and regional championships. I placed 5th for 200 back and 8th for 50 fly. I have also won a rugby sevens tournament for south east England region earlier last year.

Bio: In 2020, I began my training with Thanet Swim Club. Since then, I have worked hard and have successfully secured qualification for the Kent County Championship and regional championships every year. I love all sports and also play at a high level in rugby as well getting to the Kent schools final earlier this year. Last year I was signed by egg chasers 7’s to play for their southeast England academy where I trained for them at Reigate rugby club and won a tournament for them in the summer. I enjoy keeping fit and enjoy racing and being a part of a successful team.

Name: Brook Mcgregor

Sport: Swimming

Best achievement in the last 12 months: 2nd place in Kent's in 50/100/200 fly.
Part of regional development team.

Bio: I am part of an official County and/or Regional team or squad. I have been successful in any County or Regional age group competition (top 10 finish) in the last 12 months. I am ranked within the top 10 on official governing body rankings table (County Level).

Name: Savannah Ellerington

Sport: Swimming

Best achievement in the last 12 months: I took part in the Kent secondary girls school relays gala and this year, we placed Silver. 200m Free girls relay and
Gold 200m for the girls Individual medley team.
At East Invicta Championships in Oct 2024 I achieved Gold in the 800m Free Bronze 400 Individual Medley, and Gold in the 400m Free.
At Kents, I competed in the 400m Free 200m Back and 200m Free, and achieved consideration times for other races including the 1500m Free and 800m Freestyle.

Bio: Firstly I completing all of the stages with Your Leisure swimming programme at Ramsgate and Margate. At aged 7 years old, I joined Thanet Swimming Club and started to compete in my first galas that year. I swim and land train for 13.5 hrs per week at Hartsdown and Ramsgate Leisure Centres. My favourite races are 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle. Our squad is really supportive of each other and my coaches are supportive and bring out the best in us.

Name: Heidi Powell

Sport: Rugby

Best achievement in the last 12 months: I am part of an official County and/or Regional team or squad.

Bio: I live in Thanet and attend Chatham and Clarendon Grammar School, currently in year 10. I often represent the school at all sports, netball, athletics mainly but others on occasion at the school's request. I also represent Thanet Athletics Club in the summer, I am a sprinter. I would like to play rugby to as high a level as possible and this year I made the U16's Kent team. (girls rugby has a two year age bracket the U16's are made up of year 10 and 11). The season is ongoing and we have one match (to be confirmed) still to play this season. I started playing rugby two years ago because my older sister was playing. She has made the England pathway this year and i want to reach that level too. Hopefully one day i will play with her on the same team. I play club rugby in Ashford because my local club was struggling to get a team, so we travel a lot for training and matches for club and Kent. It will be very helpful to be able to train at a gym near to my school. The gym will help me to become more powerful and faster so that i can be a better rugby player.