WITH the national qualification window closing at the end of May, Swindon Dolphin’s performance level training program was largely geared towards yielding best times at the Regional Youth Championships in Plymouth.

In the lead up to this event, swimmers also competed at the Millfield and Taunton Deane Open.

One new club record, four new age group club records, and a haul of three golds, one silvers and three bronzes at the regional championships underlined their continued progression as one of the top clubs in the South West.

Competing at the Millfield and Taunton Deane meets provided swimmers with a good base to work from in the subsequent lead up to the Regional Championships. Results from the younger age group (14 years and under) swimmers looked particularly impressive as they continued to lower their times.

Olivia Flack (13) not only set a new age group record in the 200m backstroke but also a new open club record that had stood for 10 years. Dolphin’s older youth swimmers also had their fair share of success with William Davies (14) again lowering his 400m freestyle age group club record.

Fifteen-year-old Regan Jefferies had been disappointed with his previous 200m breaststroke performances leading up to the Millfield meet but a change of race tactic with a more relaxed opening 50m paid dividends as he as he clocked an impressive two minutes and 38.19 seconds.

Twenty five swimmers made their way to the Plymouth Life Centre for the Regional Youth Championships, including five age group swimmers competing in the relay events.

Competing in South West Region relay events is always tough given the depth in quality of competing clubs, although being the opening event of the sessions provides a good team-building boost to proceedings.

Dolphin’s best relay performance came in the boys 14-to-16 years 4x100m freestyle relay of Jack Plumb, Josh Fox, William Davies and James Watson with an eighth-placed finish.

The girls 4 x 100m medley relay also had something to shout about, with Flack setting a new age group club record on the opening backstroke leg.

Dolphin’s first regional medal of 2015 came in the boys 200m breaststroke. In the heats, Jefferies could not repeat the time he set at Millfield a few weeks earlier. However, a reminder of the race plan he had used at Millfield paid off again and Jefferies improved on his fourth-ranked place to take bronze.

Peter Harper, competing in the S14 multi-disability events swelled Dolphin’s medal haul by adding a further two bronze. However, it was James Watson who stole the show for Dolphin as he made the top 10 in all of his nine swims, producing personal best performances in each and setting a new age group club record in the 200m IM.

Gold medals in the medley, 100m breaststroke and 1500m freestyle and a silver medal in the 400m freestyle were just rewards for the 15-year-old, who has stuck rigidly to the training programme in the lead up to the Championships.

Watson was rarely away from poolside over the three days of competition, progressing to finals in seven events. Other swimmers making the top 10 and earning second swims were Jon Audis, Lauren Matthews, Jefferies, Sean Purvis and William Davies.