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TEAM EFFORT: Members of the West Dorset Warriors who competed in the Dorset County Championships

WEST Dorset Warriors scooped a fabulous tally of 51 medals, including nine golds and 23 silvers, at the Dorset County Championships in Bournemouth.

An impressive 22 Western Quali-fying Times were achieved at Littledown and with 103 swimmers awarded ribbons for finishing in the top eight of their age group, Warriors' head coach Janet Hewitt was delighted with the results.

Undisputed star of the Dorchester-based club was 15-year-old Kim Roberts who achieved six Western qualifying times, captured three gold medals, featured in four finals and claimed the title of both junior and senior champion in the 200m butterfly.

Hewitt said: "Kim has been outstanding throughout the championships. She pulled out all the stops and bettered her heat to final times on every occasion.

"The percentage of West Dorset swimmers who obtained personal bests at the championships was marvellous - a magnificent 89 per cent. All the kids deserve praise for such effort."

Eleven-year-old Yasmin Chick also swam impressively to finish third overall in her age group. Chick captured eight medals including gold for the 400m freestyle, 800m freestyle and the 400m individual medley where she also achieved a WQT.

Laura Chitty, also 11, claimed six ribbons and notched up several personal bests while ten-year-old Amie Buttle was delighted with silver for the 800m freestyle and finished fourth overall in her age group.

Victoria Halford claimed two silvers to finish ninth overall, nine-year-old Imogen Slade captured one silver while Tiffany Knight earned bronze in the 1500m freestyle.

For the boys, 16-year-old Carl Hornyak's 800m freestyle was especially outstanding, achieving an Age Group Best Time, a Senior and Junior Championship Best Time, a Western Qualifying Time and a silver medal to boot.

Hornyak featured in the final of both the 100m and the 200m breaststroke and took home a total of five medals and two WQTs.

Also in the 15/16 years age group, Craig Hewitt achieved some pleasing times and Scott Civil recorded several personal bests.

Seventeen-year-old James Dawson earned gold, two silvers and a bronze together with a WQT in the 100m freestyle. Tom Lewis, 14, captured silver and bronze to finish fifth overall while Jordan Trewartha, also 14, earned three ribbons in the sprints.

Tom Cooper, 13, performed well and achieved personal best times in each of his ten events to be placed tenth overall.

For the 12-year-old boys, the age group was a tough one with the top four swimmers being of national standard.

Peter Thornton celebrated his 12th birthday by achieving six WQTs, capturing seven medals and finished fourth overall. He also reached the county final where ranked eighth, and against swimmers up to five years older and five inches taller, Thornton did extremely well to finish seventh.

Ryan Knott earned gold, three silvers, and a bronze to finish seventh overall with club-mate Peter Horne close behind in eighth.

Christopher Brock, who grabbed a silver and a bronze, finished in the top ten in each of his eight events to finish ninth overall.

Hewitt added: "Chris has impressed me. He's been a very determined young man and has put tremendous effort into his training following around eight months off due to illness."

Ten-year-old Sam Cracknell was delighted with bronze for the 100m backstroke while nine-year old Will Taylor capped his debut with a gold and a bronze to come sixth overall.

Another first-timer, Charlie Hitchcock, won silver and bronze while other debut swimmers included Stuart Ring, Jonathon Greenwood, Harrison Yarnold, James Ross, Aoife McCarthy, Margie Chitty, Katie Christian-Drage, Ellie Davies, Jemma Davies, Amber Cornick, Gemma Wellman, Eleanor Mullan, Charlotte Mansell, Charlotte Matthews and Luke Knight.

9:10am Friday 18th April 2008

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