3 swimmers from St Bedes School made the journey to Swansea on Thursday the 21^st April to compete in the British Gas Swim Wales National Championships held over 4 days of the Easter period.  Those representing St Bedes were Andrew Horsfall Turner Will Condron and Katherine Horsfall Turner.  This prestigious event held in the National 50m Pool at Swansea promised to be a stern test of the swimmers capabilities and so it turned out to be, but the St Bedes trio rose to the occasion admirably with a number of event medals, many personal best time performances and a total of 8 National Qualifying Times for the British Youth Championships to be held later in the year.

13 year old Katherine had a very good meeting, gaining a silver medal in the final of the 200m Fly as well as excellent swims in the 100m Fly final finishing 5^th and 4^th place in the 800m Freestyle.

16 year old Andrew made it a competition he will remember with a great performance in the 1500 Freestyle. He not only won a bronze medal with a 28 second personal best swim but by doing so gained a National Qualifying Time for the 1500m and Open Water Championship.  He also won bronze medals in the 200m Fly and 200m Backstroke finals and a Silver Medal in the 400m Freestyle.

Will Condron 15, completed the medal haul of the St Bedes swimmers with 2 Silver medals in the 100m Freestyle and the 200m Individual Medley as well as 2 Bronze medals in the 100m Breastroke and the 50m Freestyle.  However the highlight of his weekend was to gain National Qualifying Times in 6 of his events -  100m Breastroke, 100m Freestyle,100 Backstroke,100m Fly, 50m Freestyle and the 200m Individual Medley.

A great 4 days of competition which showed that the trio from St Bedes were in superb form and more than able to  hold their own in this superbly organised , high class meeting.

Very well done Andrew Will and Katherine

Scoop Ross your swimming correspondent

28^th April 2011