KELLY College?s Holly Yeo and Danielle Shrosbree struck gold at the national finals of the Girls IAPS swimming competition for independent schools held at the Central Baths, Wolverhampton, last Saturday, by winning their respective breaststroke age group events.

The girls were part of a team of nine swimmers, who had successfully qualified through the heats, held in January, where each competitor was permitted to swim one individual race and two relays.

The age groups were based on single school years up to and including Year 8 (U13).

Holly was competing in her first and last IAPS competition due to her age and was ranked first going into the finals for the 50m breaststroke. In the heat and the final on the day, she comfortably won against the opposition from preparatory schools from across the country.

Danielle was also entering the competition for the first time, in the U10 age group, and improved her ranking from third to gold medal position with two impressive swims in the 25m breaststroke.

The U12 girls achieved the best overall results of the day for Kelly College. The relay team of Amy Bayliss, Laura Sprague, Annie Tinsley, and Victoria Dewar-Fowler took the silver medal in both the medley and freestyle events, and three of the four girls claimed medals in their individual races.

Amy produced a time in her backstroke, which was close to her personal best, indicating she has fully recovered from the broken finger which ruled her out of much of the Devon County Championships this year, and earning her a silver medal.

Victoria improved her fourth place ranking to take the bronze in the breaststroke, and Laura swam a personal best time in the 50m freestyle to claim third position. Annie just missed out on a place in the 25m butterfly final, finishing ninth. The girls also took the cup for overall runners-up in their age group.

Squad members: U10, Danielle Shrosbree. U12, Amy Bayliss, Laura Sprague, Annie Tinsley, and Victoria Dewar-Fowler. U13, Holly Yeo, Genny Greensted, Rebekah Meachin, Megan Tinsley.