It’s 17 golds as Derventio reign
DERVENTIO eXcel, the Derbyshire performance swim squad, topped the medal table at the East Midlands Short Course Swimming Championships.
Racing at Harvey Haddon Sports Village in Nottingham, the squad competed against clubs from across the region, winning 17 golds, 12 silvers and eight bronze.
Head coach Jamie Main said: “There were stand-out performances from across the team.
“This has been a great stepping stone for us as we work towards Winter Nationals next month and Commonwealth Trials in the spring.
“For many swimmers this was the first time racing at a championship event for two years.
“The pandemic has hit swimming very hard. Many pools haven’t reopened and we were one of the last sports to get access to facilities after the lockdowns.”
The Derventio eXcel Olympic legacy continued to grow this year, with four swimmers who came through the DX programme representing Team GB in Tokyo – Jacob Whittle, Sarah Vasey, Abbie Wood and Mollie Renshaw.
And there are exciting times ahead, with the new Moorways 50m pool in Derby scheduled to open in the spring.
“Performance swimming needs to be secured as a priority in Derby,” Main added.
“The new Moorways pool has been a shining light at the end of a challenging time for our programme and the sport.
“It’s important that the incoming leisure operator works with ourselves to help inspire the next generation. We need to promote the learn to swim lessons, get more children swim safe and, hopefully, get more young people into club swimming.”
■■GOLD: Georgie Pryor 50m & 100m freestyle, 50m & 100m backstroke, 50m & 100m butterfly; Jamie Ingram 50m & 100m butterfly, 50m backstroke, 50m & 100m freestyle; Ethan Lawton 100m individual medley; George Whittle (jnr) 200m breaststroke; Eja Coe (jnr) 400m & 800m freestyle, 400m IM, 200m butterfly.
■■SILVER: Mia Slevin 100m, 200m & 400m freestyle; Charley Roome (jnr) 200m & 400m freestyle, 100m & 200m; George Whittle (jnr) 100m breaststroke, 200m IM; Sophie Busby (jnr) 100m & 200m backstroke; Eja Coe (jnr) 50m butterfly.
■■BRONZE: Ethan Lawton 200m freestyle; Finley Bunhejee 100m backstroke & 400m IM; Josh Pemberton 50m & 200m breaststroke; Leo Allanson (jnr) 400m IM; Charley Roome (jnr) 100m backstroke; George Whittle (jnr) 200m backstroke.