Oliver Bitowt amasses stunning haul of nine golds in Midlands event

A squad of 20 competitors from Lincoln Vulcans Swimming Club dominated the Lincolnshire entry at the recent ASA Midland Age Group Championships.

The county's star performer was Vulcans' Ollie Bitowt who finished as top 14-year-old boy with nine gold medals at the event in Coventry.

Ollie dominated his age group category, winning the 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle, 100m and 200m backstroke, 100m and 200m butterfly, 200m and 400 Individual Medley.

Ollie has qualified for a total of 10 events at the National Youth (15-19) Championships in August at Ponds Forge, Sheffield.

Vulcans team-mate and breaststroke specialist Alex Simmons took silver in the boys' 14 years 100m breaststroke and will now compete at the forthcoming National Age Group (11-14) Championships in July.

In the girls' championships it was another LEAP athlete, Olivia Kelsey, who placed highest for Lincolnshire in the 12 year age group.

She placed fourth overall, winning two silver medals in the 400m and 800m freestyle and four bronze medals in the 100m and 200m butterfly and 100 and 200m freestyle.

Olivia will also compete at the National Age Group Championships.

Also targeting the National Championships is 11-year-old Abigail Burr, who swam her first national qualifying time in the 800m freestyle.

Gabrielle Vickers (12), Alison Haworth (13) and Laura Pigott (13) all competed strongly with top 20 finishes in the overall standings for their age groups.

Debut Midlands performances came from Cameron McRae, who swam to a fifth place finish in the boys' 10 years 200m backstroke final, and Jessica Monopoli in the girls 10 years group.

In the relay championships, Team Vulcans' 13-year-old girls' 100m and 200m freestyle relay squad swam strongly in the final to finish in third place in the 4 x 100m event and fifth in the 4 x 200m event and have also qualified for the national finals in July.

"Swimming is a hard sport, requiring long hours of training, often when others are in bed, huge physical strength, stamina and lots of mental toughness," said Vulcans head coach, Fred Furniss.

"Vulcans swimmers have reaped the rewards of putting in long hours of training over the winter and I congratulate them all on their success."

Looking forward to the National Championships, Furniss is hopeful that Lincolnshire swimmers will also do well on a national stage.

"I am proud to say the Vulcans are sending the largest number of swimmers from Lincolnshire to the National Age Group and Youth Championships this year.

"The swimmers who have qualified stand a very strong chance of placing highly. These swimmers are very focused and possess all the talent, ability and desire to succeed."

Midlands squad: Oliver Bitowt, Alex Simmons, Brad Westlake, Josh Stephenson-Ganner, Jack Buttery, Kiran Mason, Cameron McRae, Olivia Kelsey, Alison Haworth, Maja Westlake, Laura Pigott, Chloe James, Samantha James, Emma Penford, Lucy Porter, Abigail Burr, Kate Jolly, Gabrielle Vickers, Jessica Monopoli.