Medal joy for talent pool

SPLASH TIME. . . Mikey Thompson (left) and Brogan Fox.

SWIMMING: TWO of Oldham Aquatics Club’s shining lights excelled themselves at the British Open Disability Championships in Sheffield.

Brogan Fox (14), who suffers from severe axonal myopathy, became the club’s first senior British champion, swimming an eight-second lifetime best to clinch gold in the 50 metre backstroke event.

Mikey Thompson, a 16-year-old with dwarfism, earned his first senior medals by bagging silver in 50m freestyle and 400m freestyle, and bronze in 50m breaststroke and 100m freestyle.

He recorded lifetime bests in each race, and was only beaten by senior Paralympians.

The talented duo have now qualified for the British Disability International meeting in April, when they will face the world’s best.

Coach Lee Holland said: “This was only Brogan’s second competition, after I have spotted him in a public swim. He is out first British senior champion, which makes us very proud.

“After an extremely tough period of winter training, Mikey swam every single event in a life-time best, which is a brilliant achievement in itself.”