Esme Gullick and Evan King represent Somerset at the British Gas ASA National County Team Championships.

SELECTED swimmers from the 23 clubs across Somerset travelled to Ponds Forge, Sheffield, for the annual British Gas ASA National County Team Championships.

In a squad dominated by swimmers from Millfield School, Weston female captain Esme Gullick and fellow 2011 National Qualifier Evan King, received their first representative honours.

The competition, littered with future stars and members of the 2011 GB junior team, always incites great team spirit and, following their early warm up, the swimmers set about their mission.

Evan and Esme are in the middle of high intensity training at the moment and, not being rested or tapered, personal best times were targeted.

The first race for Evan was the 12/13 girls’ medley relay. Evan split 30.75 (1.5 seconds faster than her official short course PB) and the team finished in a fantastic second place, behind Lancashire, who were going for their 10th national title in a row.

Evan’s 100m butterfly was just outside the time she swam long course to finish fourth at the National Age Groups in August, but was a four second short course PB, giving her sixth place in the 12/13 age group (she was the fastest 12-year-old) securing 15 points for Somerset.

Esme was hoping to get close to her personal best of 1.05 in the 100m butterfly. She swam fantastically, from an outside lane to finish third in her heat and ninth overall in the 16/17 age group (fifth in the 16s) in 1.03.20.

The 16/17 girls’ team managed fifth place in their medley relay, with Esme’s split of 29.20 a whole second faster than her official short course PB.

The 6x50m freestyle relay brought the event to an exciting close, with Somerset narrowly losing the lead in the last metre of the race, to finish third behind Lancashire and Middlesex.

Somerset finished fifth in Division 1, which is made up of 20 teams, with a further 19 teams in Division 2.

For more information regarding club swimming from LTS (learntoswim@weston-super-mare-swimming-club.co.uk) up to National Level (headcoach@weston-super-mare-swimming-club.co.uk) in Weston, please contact Tina or Rachel.