91 swimmers from West Norfolk Swimming Club qualified to take part in the recent Norfolk County Championships, held at the UEA Sportspark, Norwich, across three weekends.
Battling against the best in the county, West Norfolk brought home an impressive 54 County titles, 162 top 3 place medals and 249 final appearances.
For many of the younger swimmers, this was the first time swimming in a 50m pool, and personal best times came thick and fast for all.
The championships kicked off with the distance events weekend and West Norfolk started strong; Jamie Wilson took the gold medal title for the 16 years, male, 800m freestyle, while Den Vojevoda (12 years) and George Stevenson (17 & over) both brought home the bronze for their respective age groups in the same event. Wilson followed up with a silver medal in the 1500m freestyle the next day with Callum New bringing home bronze in the 15 years 1500m event, Club Captain Harvey Isle swam to silver for the 17 & overs.
Elizabeth Litvinenko kicked off the medal tally for the females, taking a silver medal for her 12 years 800m freestyle swim. Milly Johnson clinched the gold title for the 15 year age group in the same event while Olivia Bradford (14 years) and Esmie Kidman (17 & over) brought home the bronze medals for their age groups.
Bradford, Johnson and Kidman were all back in the pool the next day for the female 1500m freestyle; Bradford and Kidman took a silver each in their age groups while Johnson swam to another county victory, taking another gold medal for her age group.
The majority of swimmers were in action during the next two weekends when most of the events were held. Valeria Soldatihhina led the West Norfolk charge, coming home with 9 County titles and 2 silvers in the female, 12 years age category while Harry Clarke and Martha More also brought home an impressive 11 medals each; Clarke secured 6 County titles in the male, 13 years age group, including a clean sweep across the three breaststroke distances, 4 silvers and a bronze while More enjoyed success in the 10/11 years, female category, bringing home 5 County titles, including all three freestyle distances, and 6 silvers.
Mabelle Chadderton came home with 7 top three place medals in the same age group as she and More dominated across the two weekends. Chadderton’s haul included 5 County titles, with a clean sweep in the breaststroke events, a silver and a bronze.
After their success at the distance weekend, Jamie Wilson, Milly Johnson and Olivia Bradford were back in the pool, with Bradford coming home with 10 top three finishes in the female, 14 years age group with 4 County titles, taking all three butterfly events, a silver and five bronzes while Johnson followed up her two distance victories with the 200m freestyle title, two silvers and five bronze medals in the 15 year age group.
Wilson added the 200 butterfly title to his tally along with two silvers and three bronzes.
Millie Harris also secured 6 top three finishes in the female, 17 & over category taking the 50m and 100m freestyle races. Joshua Jones and Rejus Mazeika clinched 4 County titles each with Jones dominating the breaststroke events in the male, 16 years category. Rejus added a silver and bronze to his haul in the male, 14 years age group while Jones added a bronze to complete his medal wins.
Other County titles were secured by Alexander Pattison, Elizabeth Litvinenko and Jack Baxter, who brought home two a-piece, and Eloise Collins, Harvey Isle and Kye Harrington with one each.
Other top three medal places across the weekend were brought home by: Polly Anderson (6), Den Vojevoda (4), Sarah O’Brien (4), Madison Hicks (3), Nikita Diadko (3), Samuel Liddell (3), Daisy Stimpson (2), Morgan Arthur (2), Nathan Yeaman (2), Samuel Rose (2), Thomas Baxter (2), Belle Ringwood, Daniel Grimmer, Erin Woodrow, Esmie Kidman, George Stevenson, Nellie Chadderton and Oliver Veale.
The championships finished with the 400m freestyle events for all categories, where West Norfolk continued to add to their medal tally. Mabelle Chadderton swam to 3rd in the female, 10/11 years category with Valeria Soldatihhina adding another County title to her accolades in the 12 years event. Olivia Bradford and Milly Johnson finished their counties with a silver each in the 14 and 15 years age groups respectively. Jamie Wilson also added a silver to his medal haul in the male, 16 years category while Harvey Isle completed the medal tally for the club with a bronze in the 17 & overs age group.
Well done to all swimmers who took part and a huge thank you to all of the volunteers from the club who covered a variety of roles across the three weekends, ensuring that the event could take place.
