Despite many of the club’s top swimmers being rested ahead of the National League Final, Leatherhead Swimming Club’s youngsters still managed to break 8 club records and swim 56 personal best times out of 92 swims in the Crawley Spring Open meet at K2 pool Crawley last weekend.

Fast rising star Jack Beddoes 13yrs won 4 gold medals all in personal best times he won the boys 13yrs 400m freestyle in 4.28.40 a club record, 200m freestyle in 2.07.85, 400m individual medley in 5.10.20 and 200m individual medley in 2.23.35, Jack also swam at club record for a 13yrs old boy in the 1500m Freestyle in a huge PB of 17.30.34.

Another 13 year old star, Chloe Bean continued her run of fantastic swims with two gold medals, two silver medals and a bronze, in the girls 13yrs age group she took the gold in the 400m freestyle in a National Qualifying time of 4.35.01 and then another gold in the 100m freestyle. Chloe went on to win silver medals in the 200m breaststroke in 2.44.82 and 100m breaststroke in 1.17.33 both National qualifying times and bronze in the 200m individual medley. Chloe also broke the club’s record in the 50m breaststroke with a time of 36.36.

Club captain Chris Ashton, 18, dominated the two individual medley events, winning the 400m IM and then taking gold in the 200m event with a new club record of 2.11.48.

Simon Churchman back from Loughborough University proved he has now developed into a distance swimmer by taking the gold in the open 800m freestyle and then silver in the 400m and 200m freestyle races.

Breaststroke specialist Sam Crowther powered his way to gold in the boys 17/18yrs 200m breaststroke in a PB, club record and National qualifying time of 2.24.68 and then came 3rd in the 100m breaststroke in another National qualifying time and PB of 1.09.13.

Matt Breckon also in the 17/18yrs age group pulverised the opposition to win the 400m freestyle in 4.06.92 comfortably inside his National qualifying time.

Charlotte Robertson 16yrs taking on her first 1500m freestyle for over a year came overall 2nd in a National qualifying time of 17.45.52 and then swam another NQT when coming 2nd in the 200m freestyle in 2.08.33.

Lauren Parsons 16yrs swam a PB of 2.33.80 to win the bronze medal in the girls 16yrs+ 200m butterfly and youngster 11yrs old Chris Green also swam a PB to win bronze in the 100m breaststroke.

Daniel Malamud 12yrs broke the club’s boys 12yrs 50m butterfly record with a time of 31.24, Sydney Howes 14yrs also broke the club’s record for 14yrs boys in the 1500m freestyle with a time of 17.17.36 and Thomas Godfrey did the same in the boys 16yrs 50m breaststroke with a time of 31.19.

This weekend the club are at Ponds Forge National Pool, Sheffield for the finals of the National League (Latterly the Speedo League) this is swimming’s FA cup a great colourful and very noisy event where strong competition and fun go hand in hand.