Golden girl Olivia bags open award

SWIMMING: OLIVIA ASKEW won the top girl swimmer award for the 11-year age group in the Stafford Apex open meet.

The Oldham Aquatics star was presented with the Wedgwood Trophy after capturing seven gold medals in the 100, 200, 400 and 800-metre freestyle events, together with the 100, 200 and 400m individual medleys.

For the boys, Kyle Clegg won gold in the 100 metre freestyle, adding four silver medals in the 100 and 200 metre breaststroke, 200m freestyle and 200m individual medley.

In the 13-years age group, Jessica Fullalove picked up four golds in the 100 and 200m backstroke and butterfly events, adding a silver in the 200 IM and a bronze in the 200m freestyle.

Other golds went to Harry Entwistle (14/15 years) for the 100 IM and George Morreal (16 plus) for the 100m backstroke.

Young members of the Oldham Aquatics advanced training squad came to the fore in both the Sheffield City Swimming Club ‘B’ grade meet and the Warriors of Warrington ‘B’ grade meet.

At Sheffield, there were golds from Daniel Fearnley in the 10-years 50m breaststroke event and Fleur Mitchell (50m breaststroke) with team- mate Amy Cunningham collecting silvers in the 50 breaststroke and butterfly events.

In the 11-years age group, Robert Harding won the 50m breaststroke and freestyle, adding sliver in the 50m backstroke, while Sara Loft won the 50m freestyle and backstroke events, taking bronze in the 50 butterfly.

Peter Cunningham struck gold in the 13-years 100m backstroke, claiming silver in the 100m freestyle, while James Salt won the 100 breaststroke.

George Morreal (15plus) won gold in the 100m butterfly and silver in the 100m freestyle, while Sam Strong won the girls’ 100m butterfly, adding silver in the freestyle.

At Warrington, Robert Harding (12-year) had a hat-trick of wins in the 50, 100 and 200m freestyle and was second in the 100 IM.

Kiandra Basnett won golds in the 100m breastroke and 50m event, while team-mate Bobbie Cooke took gold in the 100m freestyle.

Beth Peak won both the 12-years 100m butterfly and 50m event, while Sarah Loft won the 200m backstroke IM.

In the 13-years age group, Saul Moorcroft had a brace of gold-medal wins in the 50m freestyle and breaststroke, with James Lait adding gold in the 200m backstroke.

For the girls, Rebecca Lewis won gold in the 200m freestyle.

Oliver Coverley (14-year) collected a pair of gold medals in the 200m backstroke and 100m breaststroke to go with a hat-trick of silver medals and a further three bronze.

Team-mate Sam Hill was a gold-medal winner in the 50m butterfly while, for the girls, Chloe Basnett won gold in the 200 IM, adding silvers in the 50m butterfly and breaststroke and bronze in the 100m freestyle.

Ratcliffe is Aquatics’ silver star

Oldham Aquatics swimmers also competed in the City of Leeds ‘Christmas Cracker’ Meet.

Brad Ratcliffe was Oldham’s star swimmer on this occasion, winning silver medals in the 12-years 200 IM and 100m freestyle, adding a bronze in the 200m freestyle event.

In the same age group team-mate Josh Cosgrove took bronze in the 200 backstroke.