King’s swimmers impress at County Championships

King's College and King's Hall School is proud to have four pupils recently participate in the Somerset County Swimming Championships 2023. It is a fantastic achievement for swimmers to qualify for the event, with entrants having to meet qualifying times for their respective races.

The championships are a big event in the swimming calendar, taking place over seven dates across January and February. This year, young people from 21 local clubs are participating in the event, held at Millfield School.

On the opening day, the event comprises a 'short course' with the pool configured to 25 metres for relays and the 100-individual medley. For the remaining six dates, the event takes a 'long-course' format in a 50-metre pool.

Third Form pupil Sophie W and Sixth Form pupil Connor M are both members of the Taunton Deane Swimming Club. As they approach the final weekend of the championships, both pupils have already put in several excellent performances. Sophie has achieved a string of personal bests (PBs) so far, doing particularly well in freestyle events for her age group. So far, she has placed first in the 50m freestyle final, third in the 100m freestyle final, fifth in the 200m freestyle, eighth in the 400m freestyle event and sixth in the 800m freestyle event. Sophie also qualified for the 50m breaststroke final. With several regional times clocked up, she is looking forward to the next round of events. Connor qualified for the 100m backstroke final and achieved a PB in the final of 1:04.36. He was also on PB for almost all of his other events.

King's Hall pupil Alba D, a member of Clevedon Swimming Club, has also achieved great success. She is the 11 and Under County Champion in 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle, 400m freestyle, 50m backstroke, 100m backstroke and the 100m individual medley, achieving PBs along the way. She has also placed third for her age in the 50m breaststroke.

Fellow King's Hall pupil, Amelia L is a member of Bridgwater Swimming Club. Competing in this, her first County Championships, Amelia was by no way intimidated by the occasion, swimming the 50m backstroke in 47.69 seconds, subsequently knocking over two seconds off of her previous PB.

Our Head of Swimming, Mrs Ison, said: "We are so proud of our fantastic swimmers, all of whom have shown, through their hard work and love of the sport of swimming, just what can be achieved."

Mr Lewis, our Director of Sport, added: "The level of swimming these pupils are competing at is wonderful and we are so proud of them all. They work hard, have fun and set a great example to their peers. We are fortunate to have a 25-metre, five-lane pool at King's, where we run a comprehensive programme of activities offering opportunities for swimmers of all ranges of abilities."