WORCESTER Swimming Club have reached the National Arena League final for the first time.

They secured their highest placing in the West Midlands Premier Division final of second place to meet British swimming's elite.

Going into the final ranked third, Worcester got 215 points just behind Derby's 217 but ahead of Leicester on 191, Leamington on 160, Boldmere on 134 and Coventry on 128.

The city club missed the national final last year by a single gala point when they finished third.

This time, Worcester had a three-point advantage over Derby but could not quite get the win but it should be enough for the finals in Cardiff on April 21 and 22.

Olivia Fletcher started with second in the 4x50-metre open individual medley before winning the 15/u 100m freestyle and getting second in the breaststroke.

Matt Richards bagged three first places in the the 15/u and open 100m butterfly and 15/u 100m breaststroke.

Will Gearey won the 15/u 100m freestyle before combining with Richards, Aaron Cook, Louis Doyle and Alex Farmer to take both medley and freestyle relays.

Daniel Day claimed the 13/u 100m backstroke and 100m freestyle.

George Glover was second in the 13/u 100m breaststroke as was Brodie Willetts in the 100m butterfly.

The 4x50m freestyle relay team of Day, Glover, Adam Rutter and Eddie Cox were second too.

David Annis won the 11/u 50m butterfly and backstroke before Charlie Dixon’s fourth place in the 50m breaststroke.

The girls found victories hard to come by but there were many vital second places.

They included Maisie Lyons (11/u 50m breaststroke), Becky Yates (13/u 100m backstroke), Megan Annis (15/u 100m backstroke), Lucy Clayton (open 100m breaststroke) and Tabby Monkhouse (open 100m butterfly and freestyle).

Jenny Gearey was fourth in the open 100m backstroke and Sam Hall second in the open 100m breaststroke as every point mattered.

Worcester signed off by winning both the open 6x50m freestyle relays.

Charlotte Hall, Fletcher, Megan Annis, Josie Armstrong, Jenny Gearey and Tabby Monkhouse were successful for the girls.

Joel Smith, Robin Williams, Anthony Redfern, Matt Thomas, Will Gearey and Sam Hall starred for the boys.

Amelie Forsyth-Ball, Amelie Fox-Haskins, Isobel Foster, Olivia Eggleton, Aimee Monks, Amelia Gearey, Lauren Annis, Lydia Cooper, Holly Workman, Maddie Fox-Haskins, Naomi Marsden, Beau Vaughan-Hawkins, Harry Chandler and William Thomas also contributed.