Bognor swimmers mark 2015 by making a splash

Bognor swimmers at the Splash into 2015 meet

They were competing against clubs from along the south coast and hoping to get quick-enough times to enter the Sussex county championships on February 28.

It was one of the best turnouts the Bognor club had seen in a long time. After a difficult year, the club are growing again and introducing youngsters into the world of competitive swimming. For many children, this was their first taste of competitive swimming.

Katie White, nine, who has been swimming competitively only since June, came away with three gold medals and a bronze, winning her 200m freestyle and knocking off 2.97 seconds from her personal best.

White also won the 200m individual medley and the 50m backstroke and picked up the bronze in the 50m breaststroke.

Tom Hogg, 11, won bronze for the 200m individual medley, finishing in a very respectable 3.20.07.

Felix Boote-Cooke, 12, also took bronze for his 200m freestyle, finishing in 2.58.35. Abbie Turner, 14, picked up silver for her 200m freestyle in 2.21.50.

Chester Banton and Jude Raza, both nine and competing for the first time, picked up medals for the 200m freestyle. Banton picked up the gold medal and Raza silver, coming in just seconds behind his rival.

Although not all the swimmers walked away with medals, most did knock seconds off their PBs.

Aimee Cowell, nine, also competing for the first time, knocked an impressive 23.21sec off her 200m freestyle. Imogen Ede, 13, knocked 12.39sec her 50m butterfly.

Amber Macrae, 11, knocked 22.99sec off her 200m freestyle and an amazing 33.88sec off her 200m individual medley.

White, Macrae, Turner, and Grace Womersley, ten, have successfully gained county qualifying times and hope to represent the club at the county championships.

Sarah Boote-Cooke, chairwoman of Bognor Swimming Club, said she was confident this was the beginning of a fabulous year for the club.