SWIMMING

SWINDON'S elite swimming squad Sx3 celebrated success in the Western Division National League after their B team clinched promotion.

Despite finding the going tougher than in previous encounters at Weston-super-Mare, Sx3 ‘B’ won Division Three after maintaing their unbeaten record with another victory.

Girl’s captain Kath Baker got the team off to a good start with a convincing win in the girls 100m individual medley, the first of the squad's 11 individual and seven relay wins in the 50 event gala. Baker’s counterpart, boy’s captain Aaron Lee, also led by example, winning by a huge margin in the boys open 100m backstroke.

Top performer in the individual events was Joe Kerslake with wins in the 15/U 100m butterfly and 100m breastroke while Alex Eburne, Charlotte Pitts, Jack Spooner, Kyle Gaskin, Liam Jefferies, Stacey Wood and Vicotria Jennings each picked up a victory.

With a clear spread of talent throughout the age groups, Swindon led the gala from the outset with rank outsiders Bridgewater sneaking a second place from Bournemouth Dolphin B in third.

Sx3 ‘B’ will now start next season in Division Two.

In Cardiff, the ‘A’ team were up against tough competition in their Premier Division gala.

And the Swindon outfit had to settle for middle to lower placing for the majority of the meeting as Plymouth Leander and Millfeild dominated proceedings.

However, there was well-deserved first places from Chris Jones (100m breastroke) and the boys 11/U medley relay team of Jack Janicki, Niall Westman, Noah Kirby and Tom Codling. Janicki, Westman and Kirby also produced some fine individual swims picking up two second places and a third.

The boys open team of Jon Audis, Nigel Masters, Dean Williamson, Alex Jones and Andi Manley managed third places in their relay events with Audis also finishing third in his individual 100m backstroke. Liam Herbert also swam a fine 100m backstroke in the boys 15/U to finish a creditable third.