Sheffield, England: Plymouth Leander have become the 2009 British National Age Group Club Champions for the first time over five days of intense competition at the Ponds Forge International Sports Centre in Sheffield. Their victory in being named as Great Britain’s leading age group swimming programme was packed with landmark moments, some of which may never be surpassed in British swimming...

Their victory in the Top Club Award at the 2009 British Gas ASA National Age Group Championships saw them win by nearly 130 points, a truly monumental figure. In doing so, they also successfully defended their Top Male Club Award from 2008, also winning this by over 130 points.

PL were to take 32 medals across the course of the meet (13 gold, 11 silver and 8 bronze), arguably the greatest medal haul the competition has ever seen since National Age and National Youth Championships were split into two competitions back in 2002. British Age Group Records were also the order of the day, with Matthew Powell taking both the 14 years 100m Freestyle (52.59) and 100m Butterfly (56.56) records, whilst Jack Smith claimed his first similar British landmark in the 13 years 200m Freestyle (1:58.18). Matthew Rose was to set Scottish National Age Group records in the 13 years 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m Freestyle.

There were further historic moments for the Plymouth club, some of them simply stunning in their magnitude. In the Male 400m Medley relay, PL became the first club to ever take gold and silver with their A and B relay teams in the same event. In the Male 800m Freestyle relay, Leander became the first British age group team to swim under 8 minutes, setting a time some 9 seconds faster than had ever been achieved before.

With 21 athletes on the PL team at the meet, only 3 of these were to return to Plymouth without a medal to their name but each having swum personal best times across the five days. British National gold medals were to go to Jack Smith (13 years 100m Freestyle, 200m Freestyle & 400m Freestyle), Matthew Powell (14 years 100m Freestyle, 100m Backstroke & 100m Butterfly), Jessica Liss (13 years 400m IM & 200m Breaststroke), Chloe Davey (12 years 200m Breaststroke), Male 400m Medley relay ‘A’ team (Matthew Powell, Harry Ackland, Oliver Leonard, Jack Smith), Male 400m Freestyle relay (Oliver Leonard, Matthew Rose, Jack Smith, Matthew Powell), Male 800m Freestyle relay comprising of the same quartet and Female 400m Medley relay (Abigail Carne, Jessica Liss, Lara Cosford & Nicole Jones).

Silver medals were also to come thick and fast courtesy of Oliver Leonard (14 years 100m Freestyle & 100m Butterfly), Harry Ackland (13 years 100m & 200m Breaststroke), Jessica Liss (13 years 100m Breaststroke & 200m IM), Reece Dunn (13 years 100m Butterfly), Jade Scott (12 years 100m Breaststroke), Myles Pillage (11 years 100m Freestyle), Jack Smith (13 years 100m Backstroke) and Male 400m Medley relay ‘B’ team (Michael Harris, Niall Grant, Reece Dunn & Matthew Rose).

Eight bronze medals were to seal the impressive 32 medal tally. Matthew Powell (14 years 200m Freestyle), Matthew Rose (14 years 400m Freestyle), Jack Smith (13 years 200m Backstroke), Michael Harris (14 years 100m Backstroke), Niall Grant (13 years 100m Breaststroke), Chloe Davey (12 years 100m Breaststroke), Myles Pillage (11 years 100m Backstroke) and Jade Scott (12 years 200m Breaststroke) rounded off one of the most impressive medal hauls ever likely to be seen at the meet for years and years to come.

Head Coach Jon Rudd said, “This is a huge achievement for us and indeed for any British club. We are so proud of our achievements and in leading British swimming at both an age group and youth level, we cannot wait to see what we can achieve once the Life Centre is up and running with its 10 lane 50m pool. That is the last piece in the jigsaw to cement our city’s standing at the very top of UK swimming”. Rudd went on the say, “We must pay homage to the tremendous support of Plymouth College in our achievements. As we have seen with Tom Daley out in Rome in recent days, their fantastic work behind the scenes is key in assisting us to develop athletes such as these, many of whom I am sure will feature in the 2016 Olympic Games and beyond”.

Ambitious swimming athletes from all nations aged 11-18 years wishing to meet their national and international swimming ambitions can apply for Plymouth Leander & Plymouth College Swimming/Education Scholarships via here

Top British Club Award

1:         Plymouth Leander       331

2:         City of Sheffield           204

3:         Stockport Metro          191