WORCESTER’S junior swimmers travelled to Wolverhampton for the Division One final of the Nuneaton and District Junior League.

Having made the final of the premier team competition for 12 and under Midlands swimmers for the first time in nine years, the youngsters faced the best in the region.

Worcester went in ranked fifth after three preliminary rounds in April, May and June.

Despite stunning performances, they could not improve on the position, finishing fifth on the night.

Winners Leicester Sharks scored 216 points, Northampton 199, Leamington 196, Boldmere 183, Worcester 144 and Stafford Apex 132.

Leicester and Northampton progressed to represent the region in the national finals later this year.

As expected, the competition was fierce with strong times recorded across the event and wins hard to come by. 

Worcester recorded six wins though and star of the team was 10-year-old David Annis, who won the 50-metre freestyle and 50m backstroke in dominant fashion.

Ten-year-old team-mate Issy Wilkinson powered to a brilliant first place in the 50m backstroke.

Alex Rosser-Barnett produced a strong 50m butterfly to win the 12 and under boys’ event. Worcester’s two other victories came in the relays. 

The 10 and under girls’ team of Wilkinson, Olivia Eggleton, Jess Dobson and Emma McKay beat Northampton by 0.11 seconds to take first place in the medley relay.

The quartet of Georgia Hill, Becky Yates, Sophie Pettit and Megan Bury also proved too strong for the opposition, grabbing first in the 12 and under freestyle relay.

There were many other excellent performances, most notably from Maisie Lyons and Mike Agoston in the 10 and under 50m breaststroke plus Yates and Daniel Day in the 12 and under 50m backstroke.

At one stage, four consecutive second places saw Worcester briefly second overall, only two points behind eventual winners Leicester.

Overall, though, it was a superb team effort and every swimmer contributed to the club’s success.

Also in the team were Milly Hemming, Frankie Reed, Amelie Forsyth-Ball, Erin Morris, Libby Nawarycz, Bryony Lowe, Lauren Annis, Aimee Monks, Lydia Cooper, William Pridden, William Thomas, Evan Rogers, Oliver Clayton, Jacob Smith, Sam Hawes, Milo Reed, Henry Halford, George Glover and Oliver Foster.