Team Luton swimmers have finished at the top of the medal table in the 2016 Bedfordshire ASA Championships. With a tally of 53 gold medals, 54 silver and 48 bronze they won over a quarter of all medals awarded and beat Modernians, who managed 49 gold medals, into second place.
Head coach Pete Woodbridge said that the performance was the reward for all the hard work put in by the swimmers, many of whom were competing in their first county championships. He also paid tribute to the support the club receives from Active Luton and the staff at Inspire, the club’s home pool.
In the junior age groups Team Luton had four swimmers awarded ‘top swimmer’, based on their top scoring performance in a single event. Jack Juggins won the 10 year old boys category, Rhys Davidson 12 year old boys, Jess Keogh 12 year old girls and Lauren Young 13 year old girls. In addition Emilia Dunwoodie was second in the 11 year old girls, Abbie Barnwell second in the 13 year old girls and there were third places for Daniella Njawaja (10 year old girls), Vivienne Flatt (11 year old girls) and Eilidh Dunwoodie (12 year old girls).
Development coach Mandy Gee was pleased with the performance of the younger swimmers and especially that with over 70 entrants, more Luton swimmers had qualified for the championships than in any previous year. Nearly a third of Team Luton swimmers won medals and many more set personal best times.
In addition to topping the medal table Team Luton swimmers were senior county champions in nine events with Nicola Pasquire taking five titles and Matthew Wright four. There were also junior titles for Ralph Muncer and Nathan Swift.
With the championships over there will be no time to rest for Team Luton. As well as winning medals and achieving personal bests the swimmers set over eighty qualifying times for the East Region ASA championships to be held in May.
Full results are available on the Bedfordshire ASA website.
