WEYMOUTH Swimming Club entered a team of 42 qualifying members in the Dorset County Development meeting.

This was the largest squad that the club had ever entered in the competition and a credit to the coaches who volunteer their time teaching.

Over the two days of competition held at the Littledown Centre in Bournemouth, Weymouth came away with a tremendous collection of medals and many personal bests were smashed.

The club enjoyed success in all the age groups, with some swimmers returning from their very first event clutching medals.

Aidan Turner saw his year of hard training pay off as he scooped an outstanding total of 10 medals in the boys’ 15 years age category.

The youngster clinched gold in 100m freestyle, 100m backstroke, 400m freestyle and 200m freestyle, silver in 50m backstroke, 200m individual medley, 50m freestyle and 50m butterfly, and bronze in 50m breaststroke and 100m breaststroke.

His younger brother, Nial, also excelled, taking home three medals in the boys’ 13 years age group. He won gold in the 50m freestyle and bronze in 100m freestyle and 100m breaststroke.

Aidan Watson saw off strong challengers in the boys’ 11 years age group to achieve three medals.

They were gold in the 50m freestyle, silver in the 50m butterfly and bronze in the 50m breaststroke. Joshua Brunell continued his ongoing success in the boys’ 16-18 years age group with three medals, picking up gold in the 100m individual medley and 50m freestyle, and silver in the 50m butterfly.

George Cartwright won a bronze in the boys’ 10 years age category in the 100m backstroke.

For the girls, Chole Calton came out top with four medals in the 15 years age group – silver in the 100m freestyle and 400m freestyle, and bronze in the 200m backstroke and 50m breaststroke.

Dani Condell continued the success, taking three medals in the female 16-18 years age group. She won gold in the 200m backstroke and 100m backstroke, and bronze in the 400m freestyle.

In the youngest age group, nine years, Lily Amor swam strongly to win silver medals in the 50m freestyle and 50m breaststroke.

Jemma Brunell took the silver in the 16-18 years 100m backstroke, while Ellie Hope achieved bronze in the 11 years 50m breaststroke and Alice Adams in the 12 years 50m breaststroke.

The fastest 50m freestyle and backstroke swimmers took to the water at the end of each day for an exciting ‘skins’ finale.

The Saturday skins knockout event was the female 50m freestyle and male 50m backstroke.

The Sunday events was a male 50m freestyle and female 50m backstroke.

Eight swimmers start this event and the slowest is eliminated until the winner is left.

Nial Turner qualified in the backstroke and Joshua Brunel and Aidan Turner in the freestyle in this highly prestigious event.

At only 13 years old, Nial Turner achieved sixth position, Aidan Turner was fourth and Brunell clinched the bronze in a tight and very exciting finish to the day.

The high level of competition brought out the best in the swimmers, resulting in an extraordinary 90 personal best times.