THORNBURY and Stroud-based Severnside Tritons Swimming Club enjoyed record-breaking entrant numbers and an impressive 93 total medal haul at the Gloucester County Swimming Championships.

The Tritons saw a total of 80 young swimmers competing, with the 93 top three finishes, including 40 gold, 26 silver and 27 bronze medals, along with some hugely impressive numbers of swimmers qualifying from the heats for the finals, and a host making their debuts at the county championships.

The stand-out swimmers were 12 year-old Jake Garret, who won 16 medals, including 14 golds, and 11 year-old Ollala Richards, who won 12 medals, including 11 golds.

Overall, leading medal winners for Severnside Tritons girls in addition to Olalla Richards, were Rachel Shutt (15 years) with five golds, one silver and one bronze, Tutku Ciftci (16 years) with two gold, eight silver and two bronze, Chloe Barnard (13 years) with four silvers and six bronzes, Caitlin Roberts (12 years) with three golds, one silver and one bronze, Amy Jones (10 years) with two golds, one silver and two bronzes, Emily Johnson (12 years) with one gold, two silver and one bronze), Charlotte Frost (17 years) with one gold and two bronzes), Eve Herbert-Jarvis (12 years) with one silver and one bronze, Lauren Shaw (16 years) with two bronzes, Amelia Bell (11 years) with one silver, Jess Part (16 years) with a silver, Harriet Hodges (11 years) with two bronzes, Rebecca McCoubrie (12 years) with one bronze and Tillie Halmshaw (12 years) with one bronze.

An impressive showing from the boys saw a total of 25 medals with Jake Garret’s 14 golds and two silvers added to by Lucas Tompkins (15 years) with two silvers and two bronzes, Ethan Courts (14 years) with two bronzes, Tom Gabb (21 years), Dylan Brian (15 years) and Ben Hawley (15 years) each with a bronze.

The final weekend (Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 February) of the Gloucestershire County Championships saw individual races in the 1,500m girls freestyle and 800m boys freestyle, with the final races on the Sunday seeing the relay teams compete against the County’s best. The boys ages 11-12 squad took gold in the 200m freestyle relay and silver in the 200m medley relay, the girls took silver in the 800m freestyle relay and bronze in the age 15-16 200m medley, The boys 13-14 team gained a bronze in the 200 medley relay and silver in the 200 freestyle relay, the girls 9-10 team were especially strong and came home with gold in both relay events.

The 93 medals were backed up by a flurry of places in the finals of various age groups in different strokes, as well as many personal bests (PBs) across the board which provides the platform for the young Tritons swimmers as they enter a busy year of competitions and races.

Keith Smith, Severnside Tritons’ director of coaching, said: “Each weekend saw top three finishes, final placings and continued progress and achievements around individual personal best times, and many swimmers making their debut in the Gloucester County Championships.

“As a Club, coaches and set of parents, we are hugely proud of everything that the young swimmers have achieved. We’ve not only celebrated the medals, but also the progress each and every swimmer has made in the build-up to, and during the Championships. Their achievements set up a great year ahead, and as a Club we’ve got some exciting times to be looking forward to.”

As well as being a competitive club competing at a variety of level swimming meets, Severnside Tritons also works with the Learn to Swim schemes of the Leisure Centre facilities to support the transition from lessons to club swimming, in the areas of both Stroud and Thornbury.

Swimmers of all ages are welcome to get in touch, with the Tritons open to swimmers from the age of approximately 7 years old into its Minnows or Clublink Groups, as well as youngsters of older age groups and abilities to its other training groups. For further information please visit www.severnsidetritons.org.uk.