Weston swimmers excel at the ASA South West Regional championships.

THE best swimmers across six counties in the South West of England came together to compete at the ASA South West Regional championships, held over four weekends in May and June.

Weston’s sole representative at the youth championships was club captain Esme Gullick. Esme headed down to Plymouth’s new 50m pool, where she took gold in the 200m fly in a time of 2.20.67. She also took home two bronze medals in the 100m butterfly (1.04.68) and the 200m backstroke (2.25.35).

Esme was joined by Evan King and Lucy Davies, who could only compete in the events where they were hoping to achieve national qualifying times (NQT). Evan raced the 100m freestyle where she clocked a new PB of 1.01.66 to achieve her national qualifying time. She also raced the 200m IM, but her time of 2.32.24, is just outside of the NQT.

Lucy swam the 100m breaststroke in a new long course PB of 1.17.61 to improve her seeding at the National Age Groups in Sheffield in August.

Millfield School was the venue for the South West region team relays where Weston entered one boy’s team and six girls’ teams. The boy’s team, consisting of Evan Brunsdon, Vaughan Clarke, Toby Daniels and Harry Reynolds, swam fantastically to take bronze in the 200m freestyle relay and fourth place in the 200m medley relay.

Other medalling teams were the 11/12 girls’ A team (Florence Davies, Lauren Hodgkin, Chloe Knight and Immy Moroney ), who took silver in the 200m medley relay and the 13/14 girls’ A team (Rebecca Lucas, Lucy Davies, Evan King and Indea Lucas) who won two silver medals in the 200m medley relay and 200m freestyle relay.

Well done to all the other Weston swimmers who also swam some fantastic relay splits: Sophie Howe, Ruby Soper, Chloe Hodgkin, Bethan Rees and Megan Rundle (9/10 B team); Caitlyn Wallis, Charlotte Stanbury, Freya Lucas and Rachel Anderson (9/10 A team); Matilda Atkinson, Rachel Eveleigh, Ella Howe, Alison Reep and Holly Wadsworth (11/12 B team); and Jasmine Moroney, Hannah Vallance, Millie Dadds and Ailsa Craig (13/14 B team).

The final championships was the age group event held at Millfield School. Weston were represented fantastically by; Lucy Davies (gold in the 200m and 400m IM, silver in the 100m and 200m breaststroke); Alice Davies, Chloe Knight, Millie and Jessie Dadds, Evan Brunsdon, Evan King (gold in the 100m and 200m butterfly, silver in the 200m IM), Florence Davis, India and Freya Lucas, Jasmine Moroney (finalist in the 200m butterfly), Immy Moroney (silver medallist in the 11 years 800m and 400m freestyle and the 400m IM, bronze medallist in the 200m freestyle and 200m breaststroke), Rachel Anderson (gold in the 100m backstroke, silver in the 400m and 100m freestyle, 400m IM & 100m butterfly and bronze in the 200m IM, freestyle, backstroke and butterfly), Rebecca Lucas and Reece Trapani.

A big well done to Hannah Vallance, Indea Lucas, Becca Lucas, Millie Dadds and Flo Davis who swam well for Weston in the three relays with some great splits.

Based on heat performances (and HDW for distance events), FINA points were awarded to each swimmer at the champs to contribute to overall BAGCATS awards (British Age Group Categories).

Weston swimmers placed in the top eight for their age groups were: Lucy Davies (fifth in the 13 years age group), Immy Moroney (second in the 11 years), Rachel Anderson (first in the 10 year group) and Evan King (first in the 13 years).