Champion effort from Seals starlets

GALA GLORY . . . Oldham Swimming Club team members swept the board at the Warburton's Gala in Salford. Pictured are (back): Grace Booth (left) and Bradley Ratcliffe. Front: Olivia Askew (left) and Rebecca Owens.

SWIMMING:

OLDHAM Seals swim starlets returned with medals galore from the Central Lancashire Warburton’s Gala at the Broughton Pool in Salford.

Last year 20 Seals swimmers won 30 gold medals, 27 silvers and eight bronzes.

To cap a great performance the Oldham side was also crowned 14s age group champions.

This year the size of the Oldham team was greatly reduced since the earlier event clashed with a swim camp in Clitheroe.

But four Seals swimmers, Rebecca Owens, Olivia Askew, Grace Booth and Bradley Ratcliffe, amassed 28 medals: 21 golds, five silvers and two bronzes, with 10-year-old Grace winning gold in the 400 metre freestyle event.

The gala also presents championship awards, and Olivia was crowned champion in the 50 metre freestyle girls’ junior and senior events, and the 100m girls’ junior and senior events.

Bradley was crowned champion in the 50m freestyle boys’ junior and senior events, the 100m freestyle boys’ junior and senior events, and the 100m backstroke boy’s junior event.

The top club award also went to Oldham Seals.