Worcester Swimming Club is sending a record number of swimmers (nine) to this year’s British Summer Championships and the ASA Home Nations Championships.
The Club has four swimmers competing at the British Summer Championships (Age Group) held at the 50m Ponds Forge International Pool complex in Sheffield which start on 26 July. The top 24 British swimmers in each event and age group are invited to compete based on the times achieved during the qualifying window between April and May.
Matt Richards and Will Gearey have both qualified for events in the boy’s 13-14 year old combined age category. Richards produced a number of excellent times during qualification, and will compete in three sprint events including the 50m back (30.36), 50m free (26.20) and 50m fly (28.20). He also showed his all-round ability by qualifying for the 200m IM (2.20.71). Gearey has also qualified for a couple of sprint events, and will be in action in the 50m fly (28.38) and 50m free (26.46).
Rebecca and Matt Redfern will also be competing in Sheffield in MC (Multi Classification) events. Rebecca, who is part of the GB Paralympic squad in Rio, has qualified in the 100m free (1.07.67) and 100m breaststroke (1.16.86). This will be her last competitive race series before heading off to Rio. It is the first appearance at the Championships for older brother Matt who will also be racing in the MC 100m back (1.06.89) and will be hoping to get amongst the medals.
The ASA Home Nations sees England and Wales putting on their own domestic championships, held in Sheffield and Swansea respectively in first week of August.
At the English Home Nations, Gearey and Matt Redfern will again be in action, and will be joined by Sam and Charlotte Hall and also Lucy Clayton. Gearey has qualified for the 100m free and 200m IM in the 13-14 year age group, while Redfern has a very busy programme going in the MC events including the 100m free, 100m breaststroke, 200m IM, 50m free, 400m free and 100m fly.
Sam Hall has qualified in all three breaststroke events in the boy’s 16 year age group including the 50m, 100m and 200m breast, while younger sister Charlotte has qualified for her first domestic championships in the girl’s 15 year old 50m fly. Clayton has again qualified for the Championships as she did in 2015, and goes in the girl’s 17+ age group in the 50m breaststroke.
At the Welsh Home Nations, Richards will be joined by Anthony Redfern and Olivia Fletcher. Richards has qualified in the 13/14 age group in the 100m free, 200m free, 400m free, 50m breast, 100m fly and 400m IM. Redfern goes in the 19 year age group in the 50m free, 100m free, 50m back, 100m back, 50m breaststroke, 100m breaststroke and 200m IM. Fletcher has a busy schedule, having qualified in the 13/14 age group for the 50m free, 100m free, 200m free, 50m back, 100m back, 200m back, 50m breaststroke, 100m breaststroke, 200m breaststroke, 50m fly and 200m IM.