On Saturday 11^th July, Worcester Swimming Club competed in the Final of the Mercian League. 

Sponsored by Drayton Group, Mercedes Benz of Worcester, the Worcester team entered the Final as one of only three unbeaten Clubs and hopes were high.

The gala was hugely competitive with lots of extremely tight finishes and with Worcester, Leamington Spa and Nuneaton & Bedworth in particular taking points off each other, it was the powerful Solihull team which finally emerged comfortable winners - Worcester finishing in a highly creditable second place.

The final points were: Solihull 234, Worcester 184, Leamington Spa 180, Nuneaton & Bedworth 174, Rugby 157 & Bromsgrove 115.

Whilst without exception every swimmer performed well, team captains Hayley Weaver and Adam Whitaker were outstanding.  Not only were they role models, ensuring that Worcester was easily the best supported Club, they also led by example in the pool.

After a period of light training due to her "A" levels, Hayley wasn't as fit as she might have been.  However, in the Open 100m Butterfly, she delivered a master class in technical skills for 75m, particularly turns, before showing all her trade mark grit & determination to hang on down the last length for a great win in a painful 1.13.47.

Boys' Team Captain Adam was equally inspirational - one of only two Worcester swimmers to grab a brace of victories.  After a relatively comfortable win in the Open 100m Butterfly in 1.07.05, he really had to dig deep into his reserves in the 100m Backstroke; lying third after 50m, he produced a storming final two lengths to grab a nail biting win in a terrific 1.06.66.

The other swimmer to win two individual events was Jonathan Edwards.  In the 14 & under 100m Backstroke, he was sublime cruising to victory in 1.09.47.  The 100m Butterfly though proved to be much closer race and with 25m to go, Jonathan was one of three swimmers in a line before producing a stunning final sprint to pull clear of his rivals.

There were also impressive individual victories for Poppy Bramford, Hannah Watts and Yannick Pakeeree.

Poppy maintained her winning streak in the Open 100m Individual Medley, the first race of the night.  Yet again she got the team off to a great start with a season best 1.13.46.

Hannah, ill all week, produced the most courageous swim of the night.  Exemplifying the spirit in the team, she swam brilliantly to win the 14/U 100m Butterfly in a quick 1.14.80.

It was Yannick though who stole the show with the most convincing win of the night, his 35.52 seeing him finish an astonishing 4 seconds clear in his 12/U 50m Butterfly.

In the relays, victories were hard to come by.  However, there were first places for the 12/u Boys Medley Relay team of Matthew Rochell, James Marsh, Yannick Pakeeree & Chris Edwards; the 12/U Girls Freestyle Relay team of Kate Lovesey, Paris Rose, Neave Phillips & Emma Lovesey; plus the Open Ladies Medley Relay team of Jenny Rollins, Poppy Bramford, Hayley Weaver & Tabitha Griffiths.

Head Coach Mark Stowe was delighted: "It was a really close, exciting gala full of nail biting finishes - lots of fun.  The swimmers rose to the occasion magnificently and I was thrilled with their attitude - especially in the final few relays, overhauling a 9 points deficit with 6 races left to leapfrog Leamington Spa into second place".

The full team was: Tim McCluskey, Josh Smallman, Jack Betteridge, Ben Thomson, Joseph Doyle, Matthew Rochell, James Marsh, Yannick Pakeeree, Chris Edwards, Lewis Smallman, Jonathan Edwards, Luke McCluskey, Sam Allen, Greg Everest, Adam Whitaker, Ben Jones, Chris Harrison, Olivia Roberts, Emily Cowin, Alison Seward, Annabel Wills, Anna Tainty, Neave Phillips, Kate Lovesey, Emma Lovesey, Paris Rose, Emma Thompson, Emily Holland, Hannah Watts, Jenny Rollins, Poppy Bramford, Hayley Weaver and Tabitha Griffiths.