Five young athletes from Leyland Barracudas Swimming Club enjoyed success in the level one Manchester Open, which attracted the elite swimmers from all over the country.
Twelve-year-old Ben Martin was in superb form, picking up four medals in total, including the gold medal in the 50m freestyle event.
His time of 27.73 seconds not only gained him the gold but was the second fastest recorded time in Great Britain in 2012 for a 12-year-old boy.
Martin’s other successes came in the form of three bronze medals in the 50m butterfly, 50m breaststroke and in the 100m freestyle event, and in the latter event he improved on a previous North West regional time he had already gained.
Ellie Cameron, 11, made the podium, winning a bronze medal in the 100m breaststroke.
Cameron too improved on a previously-gained North West regional time in the 100m breaststroke and she also convincingly won her heat in the 400m freestyle event, notching up her third NW regional qualifying time.
Eleven-year-old Johnny Rowland also won a bronze medal in the 50m freestyle event.
Lucy Handford and Morgan Gaskell-French, both 11, also competed at this event.
Handford gained a personal best in the 50m freestyle event and Gaskell-French has good swims in her three events.
Coach Gillian Rankin said: “I was extremely proud of these young swimmers competing with, and matching, some of the top current athletes in the country.”
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