YOUNG swimming stars have made a splash after triumphing against top class competition from across the region.
St Michael’s Catholic Academy, Billingham, swimming team claimed first place in the 11-14 girls 200m freestyle relay at the English Schools Swimming Association North East qualifying championships.
Swimmers Melody Jones, 11, Erin Donnelly, 11, Laura McCluskey, 12 and Erin Flynn, 11, also fought off opposition from 24 teams, from Northumberland to Sheffield, to win the individual medley race putting them in contention to progress to the national finals of the competition to be held at the Olympic Water Park in London in November.
St Michael’s PE teacher Rebecca Leighton said: “This was the girls first competitive event as a team so to go out and win against such strong competition was an incredible achievement.
“They were racing against swimmers much older than themselves and also against schools which have their own pool facilities and competitive swimming programmes.
“This is a really proud moment for St Michael’s Academy and we hope that the team will continue to go from strength to strength in the future.”
All four girls already swim competitively outside of school with Erin Flynn representing Billingham Amateur Swimming Club and Melody, Erin Donnelly and Laura training with the Borough of Stockton Swim Scheme (BOSSS).
“I’ve been swimming since I was two years old,” said Erin Flynn, of Norton, Stockton.
“I train five times a week before and after school and would love to represent my country one day in a major competition. Winning the regional finals was really exciting and made me feel extremely proud.”
Despite swimming for different clubs the girls found that they immediately gelled as a team.
“We all knew each other from being at the same swimming galas so when Miss Leighton put us together as a team we got on straight away,” said Erin Donnelly, of Billingham.
“We didn’t expect to win as we knew how good the other teams were so it was a massive surprise for us to be presented with the cup.”
With a lead of over a length in their final race the four girls are now hoping that their winning swim of 2.07 seconds will get them enough points, against other regional qualifiers, to take them to the finals in London.
Laura, of Stockton, who is the current Scottish National Age Group Champion for the 200 freestyle, added: “It’s great to be able to swim as part of a team.
“Its hard work and very tiring and you have to be driven to want to succeed but we all really enjoy it and it’s good to be able to bring the winning cups back to school.”
