Leander crush national opposition at age championships in Sheffield

TOP Plymouth coach Jon Rudd has vowed to put local youngsters at the pinnacle of UK swimming – if the city gets its long-awaited Life Centre.

The centre, planned for land at Central Park, would include an Olympic-sized pool.

Talented city swimmers have to travel out of Devon to train in a 50metre pool, which is crucial to their development into top-flight competitors.

Rudd was speaking after his club, Plymouth Leander, blitzed Britain's top clubs at the National Age Groups Championships in Sheffield.

Leander, linked to Plymouth College through a scheme which offers budding athletes an education as well as top-level coaching, won by nearly 130 points.

They left hosts Sheffield (204 points) for dead and were an astonishing 140 points ahead of third-placed Stockport Metro (191), who produced double Olympic gold medallist Becky Adlington.

Of the 21 swimmers who made up the Leander team, only three did not win medals – although they still swam personal bests.

In all, Leander won 32 medals from the five-day meeting at Ponds Forge International Sports Centre – 13 of them gold.

Head coach Rudd said: "This is a huge achievement for us and indeed for any British club.

"We are so proud of our achievements and in leading British swimming at both an age group and youth level, we cannot wait to see what we can achieve once the Life Centre is up and running with its 10-lane 50metre pool.

"That is the last piece in the jigsaw to cement our city's standing at the very top of UK swimming."

Rudd added: "We must pay homage to the tremendous support of Plymouth College in our achievements.

"Their fantastic work behind the scenes is key in assisting us to develop athletes such as these, many of whom I am sure will feature in the 2016 Olympic Games and beyond."

Rudd said Leander's achievement in becoming the 2009 British National Age Group Club champions for the first time was 'packed with landmark moments, some of which may never be surpassed in British swimming'.

Leander successfully defended their Top Male Club title from 2008, also winning this by more than 130 points.

Rudd called Leander's 13 golds, 11 silvers and eight bronzes 'arguably the greatest medal haul the competition has ever seen, since National Age and National Youth Championships were split into two competitions in 2002'.

British Age Group records were shot down by the Leander kids, with Matthew Powell taking both the 14 years 100m freestyle (52.59) and 100m butterfly (56.56) records, while Jack Smith claimed his first similar British landmark in the 13 years 200m freestyle (1:58.18).

Matthew Rose set Scottish National Age Group records in the 13 years 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle.

There were further historic moments for the Plymouth club.

In the male 400m medley relay, Leander became the first club to ever take gold and silver with their A and B teams.

In the male 800m freestyle relay, Leander became the first British age group team to swim under eight minutes, setting a time some nine seconds faster than had ever been achieved before.

British National golds went to Smith (13 years 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle and 400m freestyle), Powell (14 years 100m freestyle, 100m backstroke and 100m butterfly), Jessica Liss (13 years 400m individual medley and 200m breaststroke), Chloe Davey (12 years 200m breaststroke), male 400m medley relay 'A' team Powell, Harry Ackland, Oliver Leonard, Smith), Male 400m freestyle relay (Leonard, Rose, Smith, Powell), male 800m freestyle relay comprising of the same quartet and female 400m medley relay (Abigail Carne, Liss, Lara Cosford and Nicole Jones).

Silver medallists were Leonard (14 years 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly), Ackland (13 years 100m and 200m breaststroke), Liss (13 years 100m breaststroke and 200m individual medley), Reece Dunn (13 years 100m butterfly), Jade Scott (12 years 100m breaststroke), Myles Pillage (11 years 100m freestyle), Smith (13 years 100m backstroke) and male 400m medley relay 'B' team (Michael Harris, Niall Grant, Reece Dunn and Rose).

Eight bronze medals were won by Powell (14 years 200m freestyle), Rose (14 years 400m freestyle), Smith (13 years 200m backstroke), Harris (14 years 100m backstroke), Grant (13 years 100m breaststroke), Davey (12 years 100m breaststroke), Pillage (11 years 100m backstroke) and Scott (12 years 200m breaststroke).

Swimming athletes from all nations aged 11-18 years can apply for Plymouth Leander and Plymouth College swimming/education scholarships at www.plymouthleander.co.uk and www.plymouthcollege.com