SWIMMERS from North Cornwall Dragons, which includes swimmers from Launceston, Camelford and the neighbouring area as well as Bodmin and Wadebridge, competed in the 2019 Cornwall County Championships across six days recently.

The ‘Cornwall Counties’ sees the best young swimmers from clubs all over the Duchy competing against each other.

The program is hectic, with this year’s results building on last year’s successes, and lots of medals won across all ages, disciplines and distances from 50 metres to 1,500 metres.

The event is run at Penzance and Bodmin leisure centres over the six days. 

The swimmers from North Cornwall Dragons, who train at Bodmin and Wadebridge pool, netted an impressive haul of gold, silver and bronze medals competing against Junior and Senior swimmers aged from nine to 19 from all over the county.

From the Post area, there were impressive performances from Launceston College pupil Shay Brent, Sir James Smith’s pupils Liberty O’Neill, Adam Copping and Marc Copping and Wadebridge School’s Jaydn Bluett.

Shay Brent from Altarnun swam 16 out of the 17 events and received thirteen gold medals, two silver and a bronze as well as junior medals. He also won the 200 Butterfly Trophy, 100 Breaststroke Trophy and 400 Individual Medley Trophy.  The CCASA (Cornwall County Amateur Swimming Association) Speedo Trophy, given to the top boy aged 15 across two swims achieving the highest FINA (International Swimming Federation) points, and The Kernow Award trophy in his age group for achieving the most FINA points across all his swims.

Camelford’s Liberty O’Neill was awarded bronze in the 1500m freestyle while Delabole’s Adam Copping received four medals in total, three silvers for breaststroke events and a bronze for the 400 freestyle as well as junior medals. 

Bluett received silver in the 50 and 100-metre freestyle and a bronze in the 50 backstroke and also received junior medals. While Marc Copping also received a silver in the 50-metre fly. 

Other notable performances from the club include Tristan Bowen for winning the Kernow Award in his age group for achieving the most FINA points across all his swims, Tom Taylor for winning the Stroke Shield for his gold medal winning swim in the age 16 and over Boys 100m Butterfly, and a new championship best time set by Oliver Waller who won gold in the age 14 Boys 100m Butterfly in 1:00.64 seconds, putting him first in his age group on the current event rankings in Great Britain.

A club spokesperson said: “The highlights are too numerous to mention individually, but collectively the fantastic results and medal haul speak for themselves.

With many achieving Regional Swim England times which will see them travelling ‘up country’ in the months to come where they will compete against many hundreds of swimmers from hundreds of clubs in the South West region.

“As happened last year, some swimmers will be competing at the top level in the National Championships, competing against the top swimmers from the length and breadth of the country.

The dedication and incredible hard work put in by the swimmers, coaches and club volunteers, along with fantastic support from the parents is seeing the club go from strength to strength.

“North Cornwall Dragons would also like to say a special thank you to their coach, Oli Jarvis who leaves us after 12 years.  Oli, who joined us as a swimmer and has competed at national level himself, will be greatly missed.”    

If anyone is interested in finding out more about the club visit www.northcornwalldragons.com or email [email protected]

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