CARADON Swimming Club enjoyed a successful trip to Sheffield for the Swim England 2018 National Masters Championships (25m).

Vicki Buck, Paul Hatton, Sam Crosby and Mick Swift represented the club in South Yorkshire and they returned home with four medals.

Hatton claimed a silver and bronze medal, while Buck and Crosby returned with bronze medals. Swift might not have made the podium but he swam three season best times.

Hatton’s silver came in the men’s 45-49 years’ 800m freestyle where he clocked 10:12.21. His bronze came in the 400m with a time of 4:55.02. He just missed out on also making the podium in his first event of the championships, the 1,500m. He knocked two seconds of his personal best to finish fourth in a strong field.

Buck took bronze in the women’s 65-69 years’ 100m backstroke. She also put in two great swims in both the 100m and 50m freestyle events.

Crosby made the podium in the women’s 25-29 years’ 200m butterfly. She also swam the 50m and 100m butterfly events and the 200m freestyle and 200m backstroke events.  She swam both her 100m and 200m butterfly races in season best times and finished off with a short course PB in the 50m event.

Swift opened his competition with a season’s best time in the 50m breaststroke before moving on the freestyle. Swift, competing in the 60-64 category, has been a seasoned breaststroker but this season decided to focus more on his freestyle and has actively taken all the challenges that have been set during training. This really paid dividends in Sheffield where he swam a brilliant 100m in a comfortable season’s best time, before moving onto the longer freestyle events where he swam in the 200m and 400m events, swimming both races in his fastest time since 2011.

Meanwhile, Caradon’s Lily Thorp was presented with her South West Young Volunteer of the Year Award by Swim England president Liz Sykes at the National Masters Championships where she was helping out.

As well as being a competitive swimmer Thorp volunteers at events as an official and assistant on poolside. She works alongside the team managers at competitions by helping lead warm-up sessions. She has also assisted at meets to ensure the smooth running of the events by working with the meet coordinators and officials.

The youngster contacted Cornwall ASA to find out ways in which she could gain further qualifications and how to help in a more formal capacity.

As a result of this Thorp qualified as a timekeeper in April 2018 and at the age of 13 she was the youngest official in Cornwall.

She is hoping to continue with the journey after her 15th birthday when she can then undertake the formal process for accreditation.

Thorp also coaches younger swimmers and her mentor Maggie Davies said: “She is an asset to me when coaching and will make a brilliant teacher and coach as she grows and gains the relevant qualifications. Watch this space, lily will be a coach of champions in years to come.”