CHARD & District Swimming Club have had more than 30 county qualifiers this year taking part in the Somerset County Championships being held at Millfield School over four weekends.

The final two weekends saw Chard members making their mark again, with 30 competing in 20 events, gaining 34 top-10 positions with most achieving personal best times.

Eleven-year-old Henry Taswell was the only club member to achieve an overall top-eight position in his age group in the nine to 14-year-old junior British age group category awards.

Jessica Fowler, 10, achieved the club’s silver speed badge by swimming 50m freestyle in under 36 seconds for the first time, and 15-year-old Joe Spurway bagged the gold speed badge by swimming 50m freestyle in less than 27 seconds.

Medal positions were achieved by: Jake Hallam, 17, 1st 200m breaststroke and 100m butterfly, Hannah Pullinger, 17, 3rd 50m breaststroke, Tessa Down, 15, 1st 50 and 100m breaststroke, 2nd 200m individual medley, Melissa Hanson, 15, 3rd 400m individual medley, 3rd 200m freestyle, Ben Fowler, 17, 3rd 50m backstroke.

Two swimmers, in particular, are to be congratulated in reaching championship finals in their events – Hallam in the 100m butterfly and 100m freestyle, and Down in the 100m breaststroke.

Twenty-nine regional qualifying or consideration times were also achieved during the second weekend of competition by 11 swimmers.

They were: Luke van den Barselaar, 17, 100 and 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle and 50m backstroke, Ben Fowler, 17, 50m backstroke, Jake Hallam, 17, 200m breaststroke, 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly, Hannah Pullinger, 17, 50m, 100m, 200m freestyle and 100m breaststroke, Abi Dare, 16, 50m backstroke, Joe Spurway, 15, 50m and 200m freestyle, Tessa Down, 15, 50m and 100m breaststroke, 200m backstroke and 200m individual medley, Melissa Hanson, 15, 200m and 400m individual medley, 200m freestyle and 200m backstroke, Lauren Harrison, 15, 400m individual medley, Oliver Bilbie, 14, 50m backstroke, Elisha Hawkins, 13, 100m breaststroke, 200m and 400m individual medley, 200m backstroke.

Club swimmers of the month were Oliver Bilbie, 14, for achieving a new South West Counties consideration time in 200m backstroke, and Melissa Hanson, 15, for gaining a new South West Counties consideration time in 200m breaststroke.