SWIMMERS made a big splash at West Oxfordshire District Council’s sports awards night.

Witney & District Swimming Club were named club of the year, while head coach, Chantal Clavaud took the coach award in a ceremony held at Windrush Leisure Centre.

And their most successful competitor, Callum Smart took the top GLL Sports Foundation individual award of £1,000.

The 17-year-old, from Charlbury, who attends Chipping Norton School, is on the England Talent programme and hopes to be selected to swim for great Britain at this year’s European Juniors in Helsinki.

He said: “I spend 30 hours a week training in Oxford, and the financial support will help towards my weekly travel cost as well as paying for other expenses when I compete away from home.

“My ultimate aim is to compete at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.”

The club has 170 swimmers aged between six and 18, with 13 competing at a regional level and six in national competitions.

Nicola Mellings, the club’s chair, said: “I am proud that the efforts of our enthusiastic, dedicated and committed volunteers are being recognised with these awards.

“They give a significant amount of their time and expertise to enable our family-friendly club not only to function, but to grow, develop and succeed.”

The unsung hero award went to Mick Widdows, the groundsman at Chipping Norton & District Cricket Club.

The club’s youth co-ordinator, Sue Powell, said: “He has been doing this for longer than I can remember and gets little thanks, but we couldn’t manage without him.”

More than 50 individual athletes received awards from GLL, totalling £28,500.

LEADING GLL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Callum Smart (swimming), India Mae Thompson (kickboxing), Max Townley (rowing), Lucy Kavanagh (gymnastics), Brett Mssey (ice hockey), Jed Smithson (cycling), Lois Moseley (trampolining), Lucy Millington (hockey), Katie Nitt (water-skiing), Alexandra Scrivener (athletics), Laura Turberville (swimming), Max Warburton (equestrian), Libby Gotta (swimming), Natakia Mitchell (badminton), Sophie McPeak (kayaking), Billy Wotton (swimming), Jake Williams (ice hockey), Devon Shadbolt (roller hockey).