RUGBY Swimming Club’s artistic swimmers won five medals competing at the prestigious Swim England National Championships.
The National Championships mark the highest-level competition for artistic swimmers in the country.
And the event took place at the Harvey Hadden Sports Village in Nottingham.
Rugby took an impressive squad of 18 swimmers to the National Championships, competing against the best junior and senior swimmers in England.
And Rugby began the competition with a medal in the technical solo event as Eve Young’s outstanding performance to Queen’s ‘Love of My Life’ secured her silver in both the junior and senior age groups.
In the technical duet, Rugby’s Imogen Ravenhall and Matilda John swam a base mark free routine to place fifth in the junior category.
And Young also swam in the event alongside her Great Britain partner Robyn Swatman from Walsall as the duo won gold in the senior category.
In the acro routine event, Rugby’s Rebecca Harper, Natalia Rodrigues, Emilia Owen, Amy Buckley, Alexa Holland, Beatrice Banks, Saranne Black, Poppy Williams and Chloe Barrett-Leafe performed their Chicago routine and finished seventh in a hotly contested category.
Rugby also medalled again in the free team event as the squad of Tyra Watson, Eve Nelson, Olivia Barry, Olivia Eaves, Chloe Bartholomew, Williams, Owen, Buckley, Ravenhall and John took silver with their ‘Pink Ladies’ themed routine.
And Young also claimed a fourth medal in the free duet with Swatman, winning gold in the senior category with the pair to compete on the international stage in the coming months.
Rugby’s technical team of Barry, Eaves, Nelson, Ravenhall, Bartholomew, Young, Watson and Molly Doolin took part in the final event of the competition.
The squad swam a high-energy routine set to the dance anthem ‘Everybody Dance Now’ and finished fourth to just miss out on a medal by two points.
Rugby’s head coach Hannah Secher said: “I’m so proud of the swimmers and their performance.
“I think it’s important to share that this competition is the highest level our young swimmers can compete at.
“National Championships is a prestigious event and to qualify is an achievement in itself.
“With our young swimmers studying for both GCSE’s and A Levels, battling injuries and increased training – to place second in the free team event, fourth in tech team and with significant improvements and achievements in solo, duet and acro events, is a testament to everyone’s hard work and determination.”
Anyone interested in trying artistic swimming should contact Rugby’s head coach Hanner Secher at: [email protected]
