PLYMOUTH College were at the heart of the South West’s success at the 66th English Schools’ Swimming Association Inter-Divisional Swimming Championships in Leeds.
Representing Division Five (South West), members of the world-renowned Plymouth College Performance Swimming Programme returned with eight English Schools’ records, 11 gold and three bronze medals between them.
Top of the pile in terms of golden returns was Sam Dailley, competing in the intermediate age group. He won both the 100m butterfly (58.18 seconds) and 200m butterfly (2:10.06) – both new English Schools’ records.
Dailley was to later add his weight to wins in both the 400m medley and 400m freestyle relay wins, again both teams winning in record times.
Charlie Boden was also to feature as a gold medallist and record-breaker in the same medley relay.
Singapore international Darren Lim came home from West Yorkshire with three gold medals to his name – winning the senior 100m freestyle in a new English Schools’ record of 49.77 seconds, before adding further golds in the 400m freestyle and 400m medley relays in more record times.
Freddy Clampett was also on the record-setting triumphant freestyle team with Lim, while he also added a bronze medal in the 100m butterfly later in the meet.
Emma England captured gold in the senior 400m medley relay, again in a new record time.
England also took bronze in the 200m freestyle came alongside two further finalist positions.
Ella Bowkley was part of the same gold medal-winning relay as England and also featured in three other finals across the two days of racing.
Bronze was the order of the day for Tegan Drew in the intermediate 100m backstroke, with Drew on hand in three other finals, while Georgia Duff was also a dual finalist within the intermediate events.
Director of swimming Jon Rudd said: “These are very promising early season performances from our athletes and they have represented our College with honour and pride once again at the highest domestic level of school swimming.
“We can look forward to the weeks ahead and now focus on the English Schools’ Relay Finals in London during November.”
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