South West Success Fest and Three Counties Team Pick

SOME of our best swimmers from across all squads did Cheltenham proud in the South West Regional Championships 2019 which took place at Plymouth, Bristol and Millfield over the last few weeks.

Coach Josh and junior girls swimmers (and Vic)

Special mention goes to our two finalists – Evie Warwick coming in a magnificent seventh place overall in the 50m backstroke, and Josh Hanson who came in a brilliant ninth in the 100m backstroke. And an honorary mention to Hannah Nishimura who was ninth in the 50m backstroke and just edged out of a place in the final.

Getting to the regionals is a massive achievement – especially when you see who you are up against. Many of the other swimmers are at specialist sports or swim schools like Millfield or Mount Kelly and some of those swimmers whose names we are all starting to recognise from the top of the leader boards may one one day make it to the England squad. So every one of our own team should be proud to have made it to the Regionals and are an inspiration to others in the squad.

Senior swimmers take a break after their Plymouth swim

In the meantime, seven of our swimmers have been picked to take part in a special competition called the Three Counties. In July, Kieran Edge, Evie Henderson, Oliver Barley, Henry Marsden, Evie Warwick, Adriana Rodriguez and Oliver Dade will be flying the flag for Cheltenham as part of the Gloucestershire team alongside teammates from Cirencester, Bristol, Severnside, Gloucester and some of the other competitive teams in the county.

I don’t know yet which other two counties they will be swimming against so await news of the competition after they have taken part. Good luck swimmers, we look forward to hearing how you get on!