A TRIO of swimmers have been competing in national championships.

The members of Darlington Swimming Club are aiming to post times on the British Rankings which would qualify them to be invited to compete against the top swimmers in the country in their age group.

The British Swimming Summer Championships held in Sheffield invited the top 24 ranked swimmers in each age group to compete. Harriet Rogers swam in the 14 years age group, where she came 13th in 50m Butterfly and then followed this up with an excellent joint 7th place in the 50m Freestyle. She produced a superb Personal Best time of 27.34 in her heat swim and then produced a 27.35 in the final.

On the following week the next 20 ranked swimmers were invited and Harriet returned to Sheffield and just missed out on a medal in the 100m Freestyle to finish in a very good 4th place with another Personal Best swim of 1.00.26. Also, representing the club and making her debut at national level was Niamh Sweeney, who finished 13th in the 16 years 200m Butterfly.

And Alice Day travelled to Swansea for the Swim Wales Long Course Championships. In only her second competitive outing at 1500m, she produced personal best to win gold in the 15 years age group. She then finished 3rd in the 400m Freestyle the next day and then on the third day she won the 800m Freestyle gold.

Head coach, Glen Fenby said: "It has been an extremely long and tiring season. To achieve the level of performances and to gain PB’s at National Championships is testament to the work the swimmers have put in during the recent training cycle."