BOLTON Metro Swim Squad members made a big splash at the club's April Sprint Meet, winning a glittering haul of medals against some of the best young swimmers in the North West,

A total of 17 swim clubs from the region were represented at the meeting, which was held at the Jason Kenny Centre at Bolton One.

Swimmers aged from nine to 18 competed in a range of events over 50m and 100m in all four strokes – freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly – as well as 100m and 200m individual medley.

There were some fantastic performances and some outstanding swims over the course of the day.

Bolton Metro's own Jack Morris, claimed the overall top senior boy trophy after the 14-year-old won all 10 events in his age group.

BMSS head coach Mike Robinson was certainly impressed, and was excited at the prospect his young proteges improving further as the season progresses.

“The swimmers who have attended all the sessions and put a lot of hard work in over the winter are starting to see real rewards," said Robinson.

"It will be interesting to see now how they all perform over the last part of the season, which will include the North West regionals and the British and English National Championships.”

While Bolton Metro swimmers naturally excelled in their home pool, there were also some notable performances from visiting competitors.

Elizabeth Woodcock, aged 14, from Chorley Marlins clinched the top senior girl trophy after winning seven out of the nine events she entered.

Two young swimmers from Droylsden Swimming Club – Caitlin Lansom and Joshua Dixon, both aged 10 – took home the junior trophies, with Caitlin achieving seven golds and one silver from her nine events and Joshua claiming five golds, one silver and one bronze from his nine events.

The overall top visiting club trophy was awarded to the City of Manchester Aquatics Swim Team, who gathered 371 points, while Stalybridge came in second place with 230 and Barrow were third with 194.

Of the many notable individual performances from Bolton Metro swimmers, the swims from 18-year-old James Oxborrow, to win the 100m IM, and 16-year-old Mollie McArt, to claim 100m freestyle victory, were amongst the best.

James, who competed for an Olympic place at the British Senior Championships in Glasgow last week, swam a very fast time of 58.78secs in the 100m individual medley, while Mollie dipped under one minute in a short course pool for the first time in the 100m freestyle, which is a benchmark for the event.

She fought off tough competition from Barrow’s Ruth McEwen and Chorley Marlins' Elizabeth Woodcock to win in 58.59.

Other dominant swimmers in age groups, but not overall top girl or boy trophy winners, included 15-year-olds Maya Erzan-Essien and Arran Bostock (both Bolton Metro), Madeleine Evans (Marple) and Alex Thompson (Barrow) in the 13 age group, Olivia Clare (COMAST) and Matthew Boyd (Burnley Bobcats) in the 12 age group, Holly Maxwell (Kirkham and Wesham) and Lewis Cottam (Stalybridge) in the 11 age group and Jamie-Leigh Tyson (Barrow) and Mark Tompsett (Bolton Metro) in the nine age group.

Steve Howell, chairman of BMSS, said: “It is lovely to see so many young people showing so much commitment and dedication to what is a tough individual sport.

"Many of these youngsters are up at 4am three times a week to train before school and then they are back in the pool at the end of the school day for another training session.”

That dedication also reaped dividends for a smaller group of Bolton Metro age group swimmers at the prestigious Derventio Meet at the International Ponds Forge 50m pool in Sheffield.

Jake Reynolds finished top boy in the 12 age group, claiming a total of 1,762 points after claiming two golds and two bronze. Jake won the 100m breaststroke (1:23.29) and 200m breaststroke (2:59.12), and finished third in the 50m breaststroke (37.62) and 400m freestyle (5:05.36).

Other Derventio results

Isaac Brennand, aged 13, gold, 100m breaststroke (1:15.22), silver, 200m breaststroke (2:49.01).

Georgia Ashton, aged 12, bronze, 100m backstroke (1:16.37).

Gabriel Glynn, aged 13, gold, 100m backstroke (1:07.64), silver, 200m backstroke (2:27.42), 50m, backstroke (32.04), bronze, 100m freestyle (1:00.45).

Lucy Dixon, aged 11, gold, 100m breaststroke (1:31.75), bronze, 50m freestyle (33.22), 200m freestyle (2:40.02).

Bolton Metro is one of the only self-financing high performance squads in the country and the two annual BMSS galas are major fundraising events for the squad.

The squad uses local pools for training but swimmers compete all over the country in meets similar to the one at the Jason Kenny Centre and at Sheffield.

If you are interested in sponsoring the squad or would like more information about competitive swimming contact Mr Howell by email on bmss.chair@outlook.com.

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Bolton Metro age group medallists at the BMSS Spring Sprint Meet:

200m IM: Gold – Georgia Heath, aged 11, 2:55.92; Jack Morris, 14, 2:28.20; Alex Donohoe, 14, 2:40.98. Silver – Maya Erzan-Essien, 15, 2:32.71. Bronze – Leon Callaghan, 12, 2:52.83; Caitlin Hulmes, 12, 3:04.17; Thomas Duxbury, 13, 2:34.18; Niamh Knowles, 15, 2:35.05.

100m IM: Gold – Mark Tompsett, aged nine, 1:32.75; Gabriel Taylor-Rimmer, 11, 1:20.60; Jack Morris, 14, 1:08.11; Niamh Knowles, 15, 1:13.76; James Oxborrow, 18, 58.78. Silver – Lucy Dixon, 10, 1:22.72; Joshua King, 11, 1:21.66; Georgia Heath, 11, 1:23.47; Tallula Hughes, 14, 1:15.90; James Mooney, 16, 1:07.89; Aimee Smith, 19, 1:15.65. Bronze – Ben Clarke-Davidson, 14, 1:18.64.

50m butterfly: Gold – Mark Tompsett, aged nine, 47.36; Gabriel Taylor-Rimmer, 11, 36.51; Jack Morris, 14, 31.57; James Oxborrow, 18, 26.33. Silver – Maya Erzan-Essien, 15, 31.65; James Morrison, 17, 28.89. Bronze – Jack Ashton, nine, 59.37; Lucy Dixon, 10, 40.40; Leon Callaghan, 12, 37.59; Kate Forshaw, 12, 38.71; Callum Pritchard, 16, 29.18.

50m backstroke: Gold – Gabriel Taylor Rimmer, aged 11, 34.90; Alisha Hogan, 13, 35.09; Jack Morris, 14, 32.24; Arran Bostock, 16, 28.99. Silver – Mark Tompsett, nine, 42.89; Lucy Dixon, 10, 39.91; Thomas Duxbury, 13, 33.45; Mollie McArt, 16, 32.64; James Morrison, 17, 30.24. Bronze – Francesca Cullen, 10, 40.48; Maya Erzan-Essien, 15, 33.92; James Mooney, 16, 30.82.

50m breaststroke: Gold – Lucy Dixon, aged 10, 41.30; William Niaingoo, 12, 37.55; Jack Morris, 14, 36.46; Maya Erzan-Essien, 15, 36.40; James Oxborrow, 18, 30.01. Silver – Joshua King, 11, 46.07; James Mooney, 16, 33.18; Aimee Smith, 19, 37.65. Bronze – Bryana Hemmings, nine, 51.42; Alannah Carruthers, 10, 44.10; Thomas Duxbury, 13, 38.14; Alisha Hogan, 13, 40.22; Talulla Hughes, 14, 38.58; Niamh Knowles, 15, 38.21.

50m freestyle: Gold – Mark Tompsett, aged nine, 36.91; Alisha Hogan, 13, 29.68; Jack Morris, 14, 27.58; Mollie McArt, 16, 27.48; James Morrison, 17, 25.25. Silver – Lucy Dixon, 10, 33.10; Gabriel Taylor Rimmer, 11, 32.25; Georgia Heath, 11, 32.61; Arran Bostock, 16, 25.53. Bronze – Alannah Carruthers, 10, 34.39; Stephanie Atkinson, 12, 31.57; Maya Erzan-Essien, 15, 28.32; James Mooney, 16, 26.24.

100m butterfly: Gold – Gabriel Taylor-Rimmer, aged 11, 1:21.66; Jack Morris, 14, 1:09.71; Arran Bostock, 16, 1:01.93. Silver – Georgia Heath, 11, 1:33.72; Leon Callaghan, 12, 1:23.94; Lindsay Jackson, 14, 1:17.61; James Morrison, 17, 1:02.97. Bronze – Tess Fordham, 10, 1:40.71; Stephanie Atkinson, 12, 1:26.76; Thomas Duxbury, 13, 1:12.92; Callum Pritchard, 16, 1:05.03.

100m backstroke: Gold – Mark Tompsett, aged nine, 1:31.14; Alannah Carruthers, 10, 1:28.90; Gabriel Taylor-Rimmer, 11, 1:16.09; Alisha Hogan, 13, 1:14.80; Jack Morris, 14, 1:07.03; Arran Bostock, 16, 1:01.80; Mollie McArt, 16, 1:10.28. Silver – Maya Erzan-Essien, 15, 1:12.02. Bronze – Georgia Heath, 11, 1:24.39.

100m breaststroke: Gold – Georgia Heath, aged 11, 1:36.28; Joshua King, 11, 1:37.09; William Niaingoo, 12, 1:25.50; Alisha Hogan, 13, 1:30.12; Jack Morris, 14, 1:20.98; Maya Erzan-Essien, 15, 1:18.86; James Oxborrow, 18, 1:06.82. Silver – Lucy Dixon, 10, 1:31.07; Tallula Hughes, 14, 1:25.10; James Mooney, 16, 1:15.60. Bronze – Bryana Hemmings, nine, 1:57.60; Mark Tompsett, nine, 1:57.73; Abbie Brennand, 12, 1:33.00; Leon Callagahan, 12, 1:40.60; Niamh Knowles, 15, 1:24.23.

100m freestyle: Gold – Alisha Hogan, aged 13, 1:04.64; Jack Morris, 14, 59.37; Arran Bostock, 16, 54.85; Mollie McArt, 16, 58.59. Silver – Mark Tompsett, nine, 1:23.70; Lucy Dixon, 10, 1:15.08; Georgia Heath, 11, 1:11.54; James Morrison, 17, 54.92. Bronze – Francesca Cullen, 10, 1:17.57; Gabriel Taylor-Rimmer, 11, 1:10.98; Leon Callaghan, 12, 1:09.90; Ben Clarke-Davison, 14, 1:05.43; Maya Erzan-Essien, 15, 1:02.11; Callum Pritchard, 16, 58.33.