WEST Dorset Warriors took 57 swimmers to this year’s Dorset ASA Development meet at Littledown Leisure Centre, Bournemouth.

After two days of competition the Warriors finished runners-up to Christchurch Seagulls. Aaron Fryer again showed his pedigree in the 13 years level winning the 200m butterfly in a new competition best time, which also earned him the most improved male performance at the meet by knocking 42 seconds off his personal best. Fryer also won the 400m freestyle, 50m breaststroke and 50m backstroke in new competition best times, and with a further two victories, took his total tally to six gold medals.

Charlie Hitchcock, in the 11-year boys, showed his dominance over the sprints with wins in the 50m and 100m for both the freestyle and breaststroke, 50m butterfly and 100m individual medley, to also win six gold medals over a busy weekend.

He also beat the previous competition best time in the 200m breaststroke, only to be beaten into second place.

The girls’ vice-captain Liv Thornton, fresh from completing her GCSEs won five gold medals in the 16-18-year-old group, including new competition best times in the 100m and 200m breaststroke and 400m freestyle.

Jess Northcote also swam faster than the previous competition best time in the 50m backstroke, for 16 to 18-year-old girls, to gain a silver medal and went one better in the 100m freestyle to claim gold.

In the younger age groups, swimming at the development meet for the first time, Millie Kelman-Johns improved on her personal best by more than eight seconds to win the 10-year-old girls’ 100m breaststroke having earlier reduced her 200m breaststroke best time by an impressive 18 seconds. While in the 10-year-old boys, James McKendry showed his strength to win gold in the 200m breaststroke, improving his personal best time by nearly 12 seconds, and backed up his triumph with a second place in the 100m breaststroke.

Louise Woodrow achieved one of the club’s more noticeable improved performances by reducing her personal best time by over 24 seconds in the 200m freestyle.

The competition between West Dorset Warriors in the girls’ 11-year-old age group continues to entertain with Amber Cornick winning the 100m backstroke and 200m freestyle.

Beth Guy was victorious in the 200m backstroke, 200m individual medley and 100m breaststroke.

She also improved her 100m individual medley personal best by nearly 10 seconds. Beth Ohnstad swam exceptionally well to improve her personal best time by nearly 19 seconds in the 100m breaststroke.

For the 12-year-old girls, Lucie Fry won the 50m butterfly in a new competition best time and Charlotte Mathews gained gold in the 400m freestyle.

Amie Buttle and Olivia Freeman led the way for the 13-year-old girls, both winning two golds; 200m backstroke and 400m freestyle for Buttle and 100m freestyle and 200m butterfly for Freeman.

Charlotte Fairman, in the 14-year-old girls, won the 200m backstroke, improving her personal best time in the process.

Peter Horne gained a brace of new competition best times for the 14-year-old boys in the 50m backstroke and 50m butterfly, while Luke Voss won the 50m freestyle in the same age group.

In the 15-year-old boys, Guy Buttle was rewarded with a win in the 100m backstroke.

After a heavy competition over the weekend, at the end of each day, the eight fastest boys and eight fastest girls across the age groups are selected to race against each other in an elimination group called skins. West Dorset Warriors were proud to have Guy Buttle, Peter Horne, Tom Cooper and Aaron Fryer swimming backstroke skins on the Saturday, and Luke Voss and Jess Northcote swimming in the freestyle skins on the Sunday.

Presentations of BAGCAT awards were made to the top eight boys and girls of each age group following the Dorset County Championships earlier in the year.

Victoria Halford and Buttle received BAGCAT awards for the girls, with William Blackledge and Thornton winning their awards for the boys’ section.