Worcester Swimming Club sent over 40 competitors to the ASA West Midlands Championships at Coventry, coming away with a staggering haul of medals and also several new County records too.

Worcester’s star swimmer was undoubtedly Daniel Day who dominated the boy’s 13 year old age group, winning 8 gold medals from 8 events and putting himself in a good position to qualify for the British Summer Championships in July.

Day was in tremendous form throughout the Championship, never looking troubled in his age group, and winning several events by a clear margin.  Gold medals for Day came in the 200m back (2.22.49), 200m free (2.11.74), 400m free (4.38.26), 50m free (27.38), 50m back (30.50), 100m free (59.60), 200m IM (2.29.96) and 100m back (1.05.35).  His times in the three backstroke events saw him climb up the UK age group rankings and into the top 24 in the national qualification window and hopefully will be enough to him to the British Summer Championships in Sheffield.

In the boy’s 11/12 year old combined age group, young David Annis showed he is one to watch in the next couple of years.  Despite just being 11 years old, Annis battled hard against the older swimmers in his age group, with his best performance coming in the 400m IM (5.43.74) taking bronze.  He was also a finalist in 200m back (2.42.24), 200m free (2.27.39), 100m fly 1.19.50 and 200m IM (2.46.51) and will compete in the same age group in 2018,

Adam Rutter was also competing in the 11/12 age group, producing a fantastic finish in the 50m back final (35.98) to snatch a superb bronze medal and was a finalist in the 50m fly (33.85)

Brodie Willetts and George Glover both looked strong in the boy’s 13 year old age group.  Willetts reached three finals, placing well in the 200m back (2.38.42), 100m fly (1.14.59) and 100m back (1.12.86), while Glover was also a finalist in the 100m breaststroke (1.25.60), 50m breast (38.32) and 200m (IM 2.40.85).

Will Gearey was another multiple medal winner for Worcester, with several strong performances in the boy’s 14 year age group.  Gearey bagged gold medals in 100m fly (1.02.99), 50m free (25.77), 50m fly (28.03), 100m free (56.64), 100m back (1.05.85), silver in the 50m back (31.16) plus bronze medals in the 200m free (2.10.52) and 200m IM (2.23.57).  Gearey is currently in the top 24 for six events in the national qualifying window.

Louis Doyle also got on the podium in the 14 year age group, taking an excellent bronze in the 50m free final in 27.32.  He was also a finalist in 50m back (32.80).

In the Boy’s 15 year age group, Aaron Cook looks like he is returning to form after coming back from a serious arm injury, Cook was a finalist in the 100m fly (1.06.61) and produced a gutsy performance in the gruelling 200m fly final to finish in 2.29.54.

Harvey Lloyd and Matt Thomas both claimed medals in the boy’s 16 year category.  Medals for Lloyd came in his favoured breaststroke, taking silver in the 50m breast (33.37) and bronze in the 100m breast (1.13.81).  He was also a finalist in the 200m breast (2.43.16).  Medals for Thomas came in the 50m fly (27.59) for silver and 100m fly (1.03.22) for bronze.  He was a finalist in the 200m free (2.06.66) and 100m free (57.04).  Kai Gooden-Morris was also a finalist in the 50m free (27.01), 100m breast (1.15.33) and 200m breast (2.45.19) in the same age group.

In the boy’s 17 year/over, Sam Hall was a finalist in the 50m breast (31.78), 50m free (25.75), 100m breast (1.10.26) and 200m breast (2.40.67).

Worcester’s girl swimmers were also amongst the medals across the age groups, with notable performances from Megan Annis, Olivia Fletcher, Lily Merrell, Charlotte Hall and Lucy Clayton who all won gold medals.

In the youngest 11/12 year age group, Aimee Monks was a finalist in the 50m fly (33.70).

Rebecca Yates and Lauren Annis were flying the flag for Worcester in the girl’s 13 year age group.  Yates stormed to bronze in the 200m back (2.34.59) and reached the final of the 50m back (35.00).   Annis fought hard through the heats, reaching the finals in the 200m back (2.44.10), 100m breast (1.27.03), 50m back (34.88) and 100m back (1.16.53).

Megan Annis bagged five medals in the 14 year age group.  Her best performance coming in the 50m free (28.62) in which she claimed gold.  She also won silver in the 50m fly (30.24) pus bronze medals in the 100m fly (1.10.40), 100m free (1.02.64) and 50m back (32.87) plus was a finalist in the 200m back (2.34.49), 100m back (1.11.63) and 200m IM (2.38.35).

Holly Workman’s superb effort in the 100m breast (1.22.85) was enough to win bronze and she reached the final of the 200m breaststroke (3.07.90).  Natasha Dobson, in her first regional championships, was a finalist in the 200m back (2.40.72) and 100m back (1.14.33).

In the girl’s 15 year age group, Olivia Fletcher in brilliant form, winning three gold medals against formidable opposition from likes of City of Birmingham and Royal Wolverhampton.  Golds for Fletcher came in the 200m IM (2.27.62) with an outstanding all-round performance plus victories in the 100m free (59.14) and 100m back (1.07.26).  Other medals included silver in the 200m free (2.10.98) and 50m free 27.97 and bronze in the 100m breast (1.19.94) and 50m breast (35.21).

Also in the same age group, Naomi Marsden won silver in the 50m back (32.74) and finalist in the 50m fly (30.73), while Josie Armstrong was a finalist in the 100m fly (1.11.13) and Jenny Gearey a finalist in the 50m back (33.20) and 100m back (1.12.26).

In the girls 16 year, Charlotte Hall claimed gold in the 50m fly (29.56) and reached the final of both the 100m fly (1.14.83) and 50m free 29.61, while Lily Merrell led from the start in the final to power to win gold in the 50m breast (36.17) and was a finalist in the 100m breast (1.21.48).  Eleanor Niel also made the final of the 50m breast, clocking 36.70.

Club Captain, Lucy Clayton won gold in the girl’s 17 year/over 50m breast (34.25) and then added a bronze in the 100m breast (1.16.89).  Charlotte Yates, also competing in the same age group, also reached the 50m breaststroke final, producing a good time of 37.08.

In the relay team events, there was double delight for the boys 17/over400m quartet of Anthony Redfern, Robin Williams, Alex Westwood, Samuel Hall who won gold in both the 400m freestyle (3.37.60) and 400m medley (4.05.21), claiming a new County record in the process.  The girls 14/16 400m freestyle team of Fletcher, Megan Annis, Gearey and Hall and 4 x 200m team of Fletcher, Annis, Armstrong and Hall both bagged new County records – subject to ratification.

The full squad representing Worcester also included:  Henry Halford, Eddie Cox, Hannah Dixon, Kieran Cooper, Alex Farmer, Ben Holmes, Charlotte Downey, Emily West, Heather Castle, Lauren Hill, Maisie Lyons, Mike Agoston and Izzy Wilkinson.

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