BRIDGWATER Swimming Club had an amazing month in December, finishing the year in style.

The first action of the month was the Dorchester meet on December 2-3, with many swimmers recording personal best times and picking up medals.

The club won 46 medals across the weekend.

Medal winners included:
Isla Bennie (one gold), Michal Kucia (two golds), Alice Pittey (one gold, one silver), Leon Crawley (two golds), Max Head (eight golds, two silvers and two bronzes), Austin Ranson (three silvers, three bronzes), Jazz Forsey (three golds, two silvers), Victoria Rybinska (two golds), Oliver Rowe (two golds, three silvers, two bronzes), Katie Derbyshire (three golds), Lily Ward-Pugh-Jones (one bronze), Isobel Brown (one bronze) and Oskar Borwoski (one gold and one silver).

The weekend was topped off by Max Head coming away with the top boy award in his age group.

Next up was the National Arena League, where Bridgwater were up against some top opposition but competed well.

All the clubs at the final round raised their game, and Bridgwater were made to wait until event 12, the 10/11 years 50m back-stroke, before Oliver Rowe took their maiden victory.

The next win came in event 16, the Under-15 100m backstroke event, with Leon Crawley winning.

Club stalwart Rich Hill then took a commanding win in the men’s open 100m breaststroke event.

Rowe won again in the 10/11 years 50m freestyle, and the club signed off in style in the final event of the night, the men’s open relay – Rich Hill, Greg Kyd, Alex Towells, Raf Skros, Leon Crawley and Ricky Hayes triumphing.

The club ended the round in fifth place, ensuring an overall finish of 13th place in Division 2, equalling last year’s result.

This is particularly impressive given that the division had several more teams in it this year.

December proved to be a busy month for the club, with swimmers in the Yeovil Christmas meet on December 16-17.

Although the club had a relatively small team at the meet, they still managed to pick up 19 medals in total.

Medal winners included:
Oskar Borowski (one bronze and one silver), Leon Crawley (two bronze, one silver), Jazz Forsey (one silver), Max Head (two silver and one bronze), Michal Kucia (one silver), Alice Pittey (one gold), Austin Ranson (one gold, one bronze), and Oliver Rowe (three silvers and three gold).

Head coach Ricky Hayes said: “It amazes me how quickly the club is progressing and improving.

“This helps us spring into 2018 with even more ambition for success.”