SKIPTON Swimming Club has enjoyed another incredibly successful meet at the Yorkshire Long Course County Championships, bringing home a haul of thirty-five medals, including six golds.

The Championships, which are held over three weekends every spring at the John Charles Centre for Sport in Leeds and the Ponds Forge International Pool in Sheffield, bring together the County’s fastest young swimmers.

Skipton’s Sam Smith and Rohan Smith were victorious, scooping two gold medals each. Sam won the age 16 years 50m butterfly in 26.12 seconds and the age 16 years 400m Freestyle in 4.19.74 and Rohan was crowned County Champion in the age 17 years and over 50m and 100m breaststroke events, clocking 29.52 seconds and 1.06.14 respectively.

Further golds for the club were snapped up by Ned Sharp in the age 17 years and over 100m butterfly, which he swam in 56.29 seconds, and Paige Fenton who clocked 1.13.58 to be crowned County Champion in the age 17 years and over 100m breaststroke.

Silver medallists for the club included Sean Smith who scooped five silvers in the age 16 years 50m butterfly, 50m breaststroke, 50m freestyle, 50m backstroke and 100m breaststroke events. Teammate Sam Smith added a further three silvers to his stack, in the age 16 years 200m and 100m butterfly, and 100m freestyle.

Paige Fenton continued the medal haul for Skipton, securing second place in the 17 years and over 50m and 200m breaststroke events with Zak Sheriff securing a further two silvers in the age 15 years 50m and 100m backstroke. The club’s Fenn Turner also placed second in the age 16 years 50m butterfly.

Silver medals kept on coming for Skipton, with the club’s age 13 and over and age 15/16 men's teams each securing two silver medals in their 200m medley and 200m freestyle events, generating a total of seventeen silver medals for the club overall.

Twelve bronze medals were next, thanks to stellar performances from Rohan Smith in the age 17 years and over 50m freestyle; Fenn Turner in the age 16 years 100m backstroke; Sean Smith in the age 16 years 200m individual medley; Sam Smith in the age 16 years 50m breaststroke; Jack Jenkinson in the age 17 years and over 200m individual medley; Joe Burgess in the age 16 years 50m and 100m backstroke; Zak Sheriff in the age 15 years 200m backstroke; Poppy Dunn in the age 15 years 50m backstroke and Stanley Dunne in the age 13 years 50m and 100m butterfly.

Special mention goes to 11-year-old Gray Chamley who made his County Championships debut for the club. Gray qualified for the 50m breaststroke and 50m backstroke events and clocked personal best times of 49.70 seconds and 44.03 seconds respectively.

A total of twenty-eight Skipton swimmers, twelve girls and sixteen boys, qualified for the Championships this year, swimming a multitude of personal best times and teammates made it through to no less than sixty-four event finals. A truly superb performance for Skipton, with the club more than living up to its strapline: “Small Club, Big Talent”.

For further information about Skipton Swimming Club please visit www.skiptonsc.co.uk