Plymouth College cemented their reputation as a leading swimming specialist school at the 57th English Schools Swimming Association Relay Championships at the London Aquatics Centre – a venue in which sixth former Ruta Meilutyte won her Olympic title in 2012.
The college had to send a slightly depleted team to the event owing to injury, but still managed to break four championship records and take three of the four titles in the senior age group. In the female 200m freestyle relay, Fernanda Delgado, Eliza Duffy, Charlotte Atkinson and Juliette Casini equalled the meet record, whilst Duffy, Rafaella Van Nee, Atkinson and Casini broke the 200m medley relay record to win the event by over half the length of the pool.
In the senior male 200m freestyle relay, Tom Fannon, Joe Hulme, Myles Pillage and Darren Lim took both the title and the record in the heat and again in the final. Silver in the 200m medley event with Freddy Clampett replacing Pillage was one of the tightest finishes of the day – Mount Kelly taking their sole title in this particular race.
A final leg from Emma England earned gold in the intermediate female 200m freestyle relay, with Tegan Drew, Jessica Manning and Rosie Whittaker providing the early running for Plymouth. With Andrea Todorovic and Yasmin Boff stepping in for Whittaker and Manning, a further silver was assured in the 200m medley version.
In the male intermediate 200m freestyle relay, Iestyn Cole, Nathan Linden, Oscar Brain and Sam Dailley secured a further silver, with Tom Beagley replacing Linden for bronze in the 200m medley relay. The final medal of the day came courtesy of the junior female 200m freestyle relay, with Duru Tanir, Beth Dailley, Elle Ussi and Lauren Hession claiming silver.
The championships’ twelve records are now shared equally between Plymouth College and Millfield School which now have six apiece.
