Stratford Sharks sent a strong squad to Coventry’s ‘Olympic’ Pool on Saturday to compete in the Midland District Youth Swimming Championships. Stratford’s most decorated swimmer was 17 year old Emma White who produced two season best times and a further lifetime best on her way to a clean sweep of three gold medals for the breaststroke events in the senior age group. White then followed this up with a silver medal in the 50m freestyle

  Equally impressive was Joe Evans, who despite still being a week short of his fifteenth birthday took a superb bronze medal in the 15/16 year 400m freestyle with a massive seven second personal best. Evans later followed this up with an excellent fifth place in the 200m freestyle event.

  Despite being a little below his usual high standards, Lawrie Mills put in two solid performances to add to the medal tally, securing bronze medals in both the 200 and 400m freestyle events in the highly competitive 17/18 year age group. George Brear was not quite so lucky. Despite many fine swims, Brear finished just outside the medals with 4th, 5th and 6th places in his favoured breaststroke events.

  In her first Youth event, Becky Tame produced an excellent p.b in her 200m freestyle event and consolidated her progress in the 200m breaststroke. Becky Sherren also deserves credit, when despite having to pull out of her swims due to illness, still turned up to cheer the team on.

  Sharks’ swimmers Emma Bysouth and Emily Key competed under the banner of their ‘second’ club. The pick of their swims was a fine 100m freestyle by Key securing entry to the National championships in August.