Team Trophy joy for terrific Oldham

TROPHY POOL... Sarah Loft (left), Harry Entwistle, Brad Ratcliffe and Olivia Askew show off the Oldham Amateur Swimming Club’s silverware.

SWIMMING:

OLDHAM Amateur Swimming Club stormed to victory at the Central Lancashire Championships in Bury.

They were awarded the Top Team trophy after their swimmers collected 24 gold medals, along with 17 silvers and 14 bronze.

In the open age group events, Harry Entwistle was crowned junior champion in the 50 metre and 100m freestyle races, as well as finishing first in the 100m breaststroke and the 200m events.

Team-mate Brad Ratcliffe won the 100m butterfly to increase the gold medals tally.

The girls also added to the silverware, as Oliva Askew won both the junior and senior 50m and 100m freestyle races and Sarah Loft finished first in the junior and senior 100m backstroke events.

Oldham’s swimmers quickly accumulated medals, with Entwistle gaining silver in the senior 200m individual medley, followed by a pair of bronze medals in the senior 50m freestyle and junior 100m butterfly.

Ian Martin also collected two bronze medals in the junior 100m freestyle and backstroke events, while Brad Hannah added to the medal total with a bronze in the junior 100m breaststroke.

For the girls, Loft added six silver medals to her golds as she finished as runner-up in the senior and junior 50m and 100m freestyle events and 200m individual medleys.

Fran Chiappe claimed a brace of silvers in the senior and junior 100m breaststroke and Nicola Farrell added a bronze in the 100m backstroke.

Oldham also won the 200m mixed relay event, with Askew, Chiappe, Radcliffe and Entwistle coming away with the trophy.

Oldham swimmers continued to add to the medal haul in the 50-metre age group section,