WORCESTER Swimming Club produced their highest finish in the Nuneaton and District Junior League.

They finished third in the table behind Leicester Sharks and Leamington Spa in the competition commonly known as the Diddy League.

The best under 12s from across the Midlands battled across three rounds for a place in the grand final.

Worcester’s performances in the first three rounds ensured their place in the Division One final against some of the biggest clubs from the area including Boldmere, City of Coventry and Northampton.

At Pingles Leisure Centre, Nuneaton, Worcester knew finishing above Coventry would secure them a podium place for the first time in their history.

The standard of competition was high with the city side having to wait until event 11 for their first maximum points.

The boys’ nine years 4x25-metre medley relay team of Harry Chandler, Dan Thomas, Henry Hawes and Ben Gooch delivered the team’s first victory.

Jess Day made it victory number two, easily winning the girls’ nine years 25m butterfly in 18.24 seconds.

Beau Vaughan-Hawkins enjoyed a dominant victory in the boys’ nine years 25m butterfly in 17.24. Individually, Chandler also won the nine years 25m freestyle in 15.69 and the 25m backstroke in 18.05.

Second places were taken by Oliver Dieppe, Lauren Annis, William Thomas, Adam Rutter, David Annis, Jess Dobson, Day and Amelie Forsyth-Ball.In the team events, the boys’ nine years 4x25m freestyle team of Chandler, Hawes, Dan Thomas and Gooch were pipped into silver.

Bronze medals were also claimed by Forsyth-Ball, Chandler, Issy Wilkinson, Michael Agoston and Maisie Lyons.

The girls’ nine years quartet of Flora Middleton, Madison Lavoipiere, Day and Eve Hind took third places in both the 4x25m freestyle and medley relays.

With the noise in the crowd reaching fever pitch, it was down to the relay events to decide the final positions on the night and the league.

Worcester’s youngsters battled hard in the various age-group relays but could not quite manage maximum points against formidable opposition.

They scored 164 points on the night compared to Leicester (204), Leamington (195), Northampton (194), Boldmere (146) and Coventry (143).

Worcester’s victory over Coventry was enough to secure third place in the final league standings and the club’s highest finish.

The club’s head coach Mark Stowe said: “This was a superb result and our best ever in the junior league.

“All the swimmers produced excellent swims and most with personal best times and you can’t ask for more than that.

“The team were also helped by very vocal support from the parents in the stands in a truly wonderful atmosphere.”

The full Worcester squad also included Emma McKay, Olivia Eggleton, William Pridden, Frankie Reed, Aimee Monks, Milly Hemming, Libby Gooden-Morris, Henry Halford, Erin Morris, Bryony Lowe, Milo Reed, Amelia Gearey, Sam Hawes and Lydia Cooper.