COPS youngsters take their chances to earn places at Eastern Region Championships

And many of them achieved their goals in the three-day Last Chance Age Group Regional Qualifier Meet to please head coach Ben Negus.

Negus said: “I’m delighted with the way the weekend panned out.

“We are starting to see some real improvement in our youngsters, which is reflected in their competition results now.

“The younger swimmers in this band are starting to show great potential - swimmers such as Lilly Davis, who whilst at 10 years of age is too young to swim at the regionals, she showed great racing skills resulting in 11 medals.

“This time last year we were looking at one or two swimmers performing across all age bands. Now we have got a large number of youngsters with five or more regional qualifying times and they could be challenging for final and podium positions in two months time.

“This meet was vibrant and positive because that’s what our swimmers are starting to make it with their commitment and focus on achieving their best.

“The COPS swimmers dominated the competition this weekend and now the training starts to ensure that happens at the regional meet in May.”

Ella McGhie, who has 14 qualifying times out of a possible16, and Connor Walker received the Top Girl and Top Boy trophies for COPS for amassing the most points.

McGhie won six gold medals, five silvers and two bronze and Walker won six golds, four silvers and one bronze. Both swimmers are 14 years-old.

Other clubs taking part were Bottisham, City of Cambridge, Godmanchester, Harpenden, Leighton Buzzard, March Marlins, Nottingham Leander, StNeots, Wisbeach, Chatteris, Ely, Corby, Flitwick, Hemel Hempstead, Loughborough, Nene Valley, South Lincs and Teddington. Flitwick won the top visiting club prize.

Other COPS swimmers to stand out were listed by Negus as Alex Harlow(11), Joshua Martin(12), Olivia Mahoney (10), Charlotte Shaw (11), Ruby Blakeley (11), Amy Paget (12), Harriet Salisbury (13), Olivia Lee (13), James Rothwell(13) and George Whiteman (13).

Alex Harlow emerged with the most race wins, 11 of them, closely followed by Joshua Martin with 10.

COPS winners were: Alex Harlow (11), Jamie Peacock (3), Joshua Martin (10), Fabian Brudnicki (5), Matty Cussell (6), Jaxon Simmons, Olivia Mahoney (5), Charlotte Shaw, Harriet Salisbury (4), Eve Wright (5), Kenzie Whyatt (3), James Rothwell (3), George Mouzoures, Herbie Kinder (7), Lilly Davis (7), Chloe Monaghan, Carys Horn, Elle McGhie (6), Rufus Bennett, Mark Krolik (2), Connor Walker (6), Henry Pearce, Matthew Wouldham, Lois Walker, Ruby Blakeley (8), Georgie Chappell (4), Panche Gurev-Markovachev, Valentin Pocevicius (2), Yasir Naimi (4), Tilda Clements (2), Megan Ferris, Olivia Lee (6), George Stevens (2), Safford Hewitt-White (4), Megan Donovan (2), Amy Paget (3), Bren Howell (4), Mia Leech, George Whiteman (4), Matthew Gray (2), Harry Whiteman (2), Calleigh Coull (2), Jessica Mahoney (3), Sala Tajer, Emma Leslie (2), Vanessa Cimermanova (2), Jessica Shaw (3), Thomas Wiggins, Charlotte Martin, Rhiannon Loutit, Josh Smith (2), Matt Newson (2), Ella Normington and Jamie Scholes.