The 2024 Dorset County Swimming Team headed to the annual National County Team Championships in Sheffield last weekend with hopes of holding on to their Division One placing having gained promotion from Division Two in 2023. It was not to be as the four county teams of Scotland North, Cheshire, Cambridgeshire and Dorset, all of which were promoted in 2023, found themselves back in Division Two for 2025 but nevertheless the event produced some exciting racing and an array of personal bests from our swimmers.
The start of the competition saw a colourful parade where team captains Jessica Huggins and Freddie Beasley introduced Dorset to the competition while Dorset President Karen Yendole enjoyed the hospitality that all county presidents receive.
Layla Wareing broke into the top three placings, finishing third against a hard fought battle with Hampshire and Sussex in the 12/13 100m Freestyle and breaking the minute with a creditable PB of 59.75. Next best placing came in the 12/13 100m Breaststroke with Leo Condie who battled neck-and-neck with Essex and Yorkshire to take fifth place in 1:12.19 while knocking over four seconds off his previous short-course PB set at the 2024 Dorset County Championships. Other top ten placings came again from Layla Wareing finishing ninth in the 12/13 100m Butterfly with a PB of 1:08.22 and Jessica Huggins in ninth in the 16/17 100m Butterfly in 1:02.65. Tenth placings also went to Elliott Dunnett in the 16/17 100m Butterfly (57.72 PB), Halle Harris 16/17 100m Backstroke (1:04.06) and Daria Korotkova 12/13 100m Backstroke (1:09.22 PB).
Sincere thanks must go to all of our swimmers together with coaches Barry Alldrick and Jeff Sandley, team staff of David Clark and Amanda Osgood, and Dorset Official Lyn Young.
The Dorset Team was as follows: Bournemouth Collegiate – Oliver Cocks, Lucas Rijvers; North Dorset – Oliver Buck; Poole – Freddie Beasley, Macie Cailes, Poppy Collins, Leo Condie, Halle Harris, Jessica Huggins, Daria Korotkova, Amelia Newsum, Jack Palmer, Henry Walker, Leo Wisbey, Hugo Young; Seagulls – Edward Bell, Sophie Kilby, Freya Treliving; Swim Bournemouth – Kira Burghart, Elliott Dunnett, Lucas Garel-Jones; West Dorset – Sadie Robinson, Anna Miles-Simmonite, Layla Wareing.