The St Bede’s junior swimming squad made there way along the coast to compete at the Littlehampton Advent meet. It was certainly worth the journey as medals and personal best times were coming in with practically every event.

The star of the show was Rebekah Chapman (14) who won a total of seven gold medals all in County Championship Qualifying times! Younger sister Charlotte (11) was only just behind, winning a total of five golds and two silvers.

Rose Stride and Jennifer Thorogood battled it out in the 9 year age group with Rose coming away with two silvers and Jennifer one gold and four bronze medals. 13 year old Chloe Rowlinson took 2 silvers and three bronze medals while Emma Horsfall-Turner (14) took 6 bronze medals.

Will Brown (12) was the only St Bede’s boy in the pool and he made his presence felt with a hat-trick of both gold and bronze medals and 5 County Qualifying times.

Head Coach Kevin Ayers was delighted with the performances, saying “it was great to see every swimmer picking up medals and it’s testimony to the hard work that these kids put in day in, day out”.

Medals and times as follows:

Rose Stride: Silver 400m Free 6.47.42, 50m Free 41.24
Jennifer Thorogood: Gold 50m Breast 52.42; Bronze 400m Free7.04.88, 200m IM 3.46.33, 50m Back                 46.09, 100m IM 1.46.43
Charlotte Chapman: Gold 400m Free 5.29.98, 50m Back 40.52, 100m Free 1.15.59, 100m IM 1.30.41, 400m IM 6.27.30; Silver 200m IM 3.01.02, 100m Back 1.26.64
Rebekah Chapman: Gold 400m Free 4.59.02, 200m IM 2.40.45, 100m Back 1.13.30, 50m Back 35.17, 100m Free 1.07.86, 100m IM 1.16.51, 400m IM 5.40.57
Chloe Rowlinson: Silver 50m Back 38.77, 50m Breast 48.62; Bronze 100m Back 1.23.89, 50m Free 34.77, 100m IM 1.28.55
Emma Horsfall-Turner: Bronze 400m Free 5.23.91, 100m Back 1.29.03, 50m Free 35.38, 100m Breast 1.41.64, 50m Back 42.28, 100m Free 1.15.44
Will Brown: Gold 400m IM 6.12.33, 200m IM 2.48.76, 100m Breast 1.30.08; Bronze 100m Free 1.13.72, 100m Back 1.19.58, 400m Free 5.30.55