The Swim England Winter Championships in Sheffield were a resounding success for Merseyside's swimming talent, with Wirral Metro's Petra Varga leading the charge by securing a prestigious national title.
Gold Medal Glory and Personal Bests in Sheffield
Petra Varga of Wirral Metro Swimming Club delivered a standout performance, winning gold in the 200m Individual Medley. Her victory was made even more impressive as she achieved a new personal best time. Varga also demonstrated her consistency by taking first place in the 'B Final' of the demanding 400m Individual Medley.
Club colleague Abbie Roscoe also enjoyed a successful meet, securing fifth place in both the 1500m Freestyle and the 200m Butterfly. She added a seventh-place finish in the 400m Individual Medley to her tally. Lily Horton from the same club reached the final of the 200m Butterfly, highlighting the strength of the Wirral Metro squad.
Local Clubs Shine Across the Board
The City of Liverpool club celebrated a silver medal courtesy of Joni Dunne in the 200m Breaststroke. Madison Rens earned a bronze medal in the 1500m Freestyle, setting one of four personal best times during the competition. Kerry Hennie finished fourth in the same gruelling event.
Gabriella Hunt posted three personal bests, with an eighth-place finish in the 100m Breaststroke being the highlight. Sophie Hewlett from Bebington also recorded a personal best time in the 1500m Freestyle, capping off a positive week for the region's swimmers at the national event.
Wirral Metro Winter Meet Attracts Huge Entry
Closer to home, the Wirral Metro Winter Meet at Wavertree witnessed a huge number of entries. The host club was led magnificently by Hope Birley-Brown, who collected an astonishing six golds, a silver, and two bronze medals, setting several personal bests along the way.
Bethan James also excelled with three golds, a silver, and a bronze. Annabel Preece, Ellie Jackson, and Willim Sowden were among a host of other medal winners for the club. They faced strong opposition, particularly from the City of Liverpool team, whose swimmers including Dylan Harte, Ethan Dwyer, and Zerrin Bentham secured a plethora of medals.
Bridgefield's Niko Dorsz was in phenomenal form, setting seven personal best times to claim five golds, a silver, and a bronze. Joshua Patino took gold in both the 50m and 100m Freestyle events.
Other notable local successes included:
- Halton: Sophie Barr won six golds, while Anthony Wawrzyniak returned home with three golds and two silvers.
- Garston: Owen Cosgrove set ten personal best times, earning two golds, a silver, and a bronze.
- Crosby: Edie Leung and Jacob Leung spearheaded their team's efforts.
- Everton: Anthony Welsh was in inspiring form, winning a gold and three silvers.
- St Helens, Ormskirk, Liverpool Penguins, and Prescot all had swimmers achieving podium finishes and personal bests.
The weekend's action underscored the incredible depth of swimming talent across Merseyside's clubs, with personal bests and medal hauls demonstrating the health and competitive spirit of the region's aquatic sports scene.
