Positive performances at National Junior Para Swimming Championships

Sunderland Aquatics Centre hosted this year’s National Junior Para Swimming Championships this past weekend, and there were a number of medals for Scottish swimmers.

14 swimmers across 7 clubs travelled south for the meet which started on Saturday. The action was split in to three age groups; 10-13 years, 14-16 years and 17-18 years.

Katie Pake of Carnegie Swimming Club won the first medal of the weekend. Katie’s swim of 1:34.63 in the 100m backstroke secured third spot in the 10-13 years’ age group. You can read more about Katie’s story here.

East Lothian’s Dylan Blakely won silver in the men’s 100m backstroke event. Dylan’s time of 1:08.11 in the 17-18 years’ category was one of two medals he won across the weekend. The East Lothian swimmer followed up his silver with a bronze in the 100m butterfly, just behind Motherwell and Wishaw Swim Team’s Logan Smith, who won silver in a time of 1:04.24.

There was also medal success for Cerys McCrindle of South Ayrshire Swim Team. Cerys touched home in 3:11.57 in the 200m freestyle (17-18 years) to win bronze. As wel as Natalia Chociaj of Aberdeen Dolphins in the 100m butterfly, winning bronze in a time of 1:29.18 in the 17-18 year age category.

Disability performance development manager Paul Wilson said “The meet was a great opportunity for some of our younger athletes to work on their race preparation and execution. There were some great swims from the group, aided and supported by a great coaching team. I was really pleased to see the youngsters step up to the challenge that this meet presented and I look forward to seeing their progress across the rest of the season.”

You can find the full results of the meet, here.