BASINGSTOKE Bluefins swimmers enjoyed another very successful annual Hampshire Swimming Championships.

This was held in the swimming pools in south Hampshire in Portsmouth and Waterlooville, The first weekend of competition was held in long course (Olympic size 50m pool) format and consisted of relays and the distance events.

Right from the start of the Bluefins swimmers were involved in the medal placings.

Great swims from Harrison Cleaver and Millie Trist, in the 400m front crawl and 400m individual medley respectively, saw them both secure bronze medals in the first two events.

Not content with just one superb swim Trist went on to do a lifetime best in the 800m front crawl event and earned another bronze.

The relay team events always provide great excitement for both swimmers and spectators.

It was great to see both the Bluefins 10 to 12 years boys medley team, consisting of Alex Heath, Harry Marston, Conor Cherington and Charlie Coveney, and the girls 10-14 yrs medley team, consisting of Lucy Williams, Trist, Alice Mardell and Isla Haynes, attain silver medals in 4 x 50 relay events.

The second weekend of competition, was solely for the age group swimmers up to and including 14 years on the 25m short course format.

Four Bluefins swimmers won well deserved medals.

Alex Heath notched up silver medals in all three backstroke events, and Charlie Coveney had some cracking races in the butterfly events, securing a silver in the 200m and bronze in 100m.

Following on from some excellent performance at the first weekends competition, Trist continued to show great form in the breastroke and individual medley events, winning a total of three bronzes.

The Bluefins star of this middle weekend however, was undoubtedly Conor Cherrington, who became County Champion in no fewer than 10 events, an outstanding achievement for any swimmer, and particularly as the golds came in all strokes, which highlights just how adaptable and technically proficient this young man is.

The icing on the cake was Cherrington also smashed county records for both the 100 metres breaststroke and butterfly. The Butterfly record having lasted for over 20 years.

In addition to the medal haul, a number of swimmers secured excellent ranking positions in a number of events, Chloe Garling, Charlotte Mahaffey, Emily Rogerson, Isla Haynes, James Marston and Harrison Cleaver all attained top eight ranking positions in a number of events.

The last weekend moved back to long course racing at the 50 metre pool in Portsmouth, and was a chance for the older swimmers to show their mettle.

John Holt, whose birthday it was over the same weekend, celebrated in real style, becoming county champion in the 200m fly and winning two silvers in the 50 and 100 metres on the same stroke.

Molly Goffin, one of the most experienced members of the team and a previous national finalist, swam well controlled races in her main stroke of breaststroke, and gained silvers in both the 100 and 200 metre events, with the 100 metre time being a lifetime best.

Another well deserved silver Medal went to Julia LeBosse in the 50m Breaststroke sprint event.

Both Mitchell Coombes and Charlyne LeBosse did a great job and earned themselves bronze medals, with Charlyne hitting a lifetime best in the 100m butterfly. Five other Bluefins swimmers Grace Merrin, Kara Davies, Graeme Richardson, Isla Haynes and Trist secured top three placings.

As with the age group swimmers who competed the previous week, a number of the older Bluefins swimmers again secured some highly ranked finishing positions which were just outside the top three placings.

Lewis Fenn, Millie Rugman, William Sadler, Amy Pennicott and Kieran Parker all placed inside top eight rankings, which is no mean feat considering the level of competition they were up against.

Overall it was a great showing from the swimmers over the three full weekends, and their sights are now firmly fixed on attaining Regional Championship and National Championship qualification positions.