WORCESTER Swimming Club will be on the national sporting map when the British Summer Championships (Age Group) get under way in Sheffield on Tuesday.

Matt Richards, Will Gearey, Rio Paralympic-bound Rebecca Redfern and her brother Matt are all racing at the 50m Ponds Forge International Pool complex.

It will be Rebecca Redfern’s last competitive race series before she travels to Rio, Brazil, with Team GB.

The top 24 British swimmers in each event and age group have been invited to Sheffield on the times they achieved during the qualifying window between April and May.

And next month, Richards, Gearey, Matt and Anthony Redfern, Sam and Charlotte Hall, Lucy Clayton and Olivia Fletcher will be competing at the ASA Home Nations.

The total of nine swimmers who have qualified for the two major national competitions is a record number for Worcester Swimming Club.

Club chairman Simon Richards said "We are absolutely delighted with the achievements from the swimmers this year.

“Nine individuals is the largest number of swimmers we have ever placed at Nationals and finishes off what has been an outstanding season.

“We are all looking forward to cheering them along before their well-earned rest over the summer.

“Then, in September, we will come back and start all over again and see how many we can get there next year.”

Richards and Gearey have both qualified for the age-group championships events in the boys’ 13 to 14 year old combined section.

Richards produced a number of excellent times during qualification, and will compete in three sprint events including the 50m back (30.36), 50m free (26.20) and 50m fly (28.20).

He also showed his all-round ability by qualifying for the 200m IM (2.20.71).

Gearey has qualified for a couple of sprint events, and will be in action in the 50m fly (28.38) and 50m free (26.46).

Rebecca and Matt Redfern will also be competing in Sheffield in MC (Multi Classification) events.

Rebecca, who is part of the GB Paralympic squad in Rio, has qualified in the 100m free (1.07.67) and 100m breaststroke (1.16.86).

It is the first appearance at the Championships for older brother Matt, who will also be racing in the MC 100m back (1.06.89) and will be hoping to get amongst the medals.

At the English Home Nations, Gearey and Matt Redfern will again be in action, and will be joined by Sam and Charlotte Hall and also Lucy Clayton.

Gearey has qualified for the 100m free and 200m IM in the 13-14 year age group, while Redfern has a very busy programme going in the MC events including the 100m free, 100m breaststroke, 200m IM, 50m free, 400m free and 100m fly.

Sam Hall has qualified in all three breaststroke events in the boys’ 16 year age-group, including the 50m, 100m and 200m breast.

Younger sister Charlotte has qualified for her first domestic championships in the girl’s 15 year old 50m fly. Clayton has again qualified for the Championships as she did in 2015, and goes in the girl’s 17+ age group in the 50m breaststroke.

At the Welsh Home Nations, Richards will be joined by Anthony Redfern and Olivia Fletcher.

Richards has qualified in the 13/14 age group in the 100m free, 200m free, 400m free, 50m breast, 100m fly and 400m IM.

Redfern goes in the 19 year age group in the 50m free, 100m free, 50m back, 100m back, 50m breaststroke, 100m breaststroke and 200m IM.

Fletcher has a busy schedule, having qualified in the 13/14 age group for the 50m free, 100m free, 200m free, 50m back, 100m back, 200m back, 50m breaststroke, 100m breaststroke, 200m breaststroke, 50m fly and 200m IM.