KELLY College swimmers were off to their best ever start in the first round of the Devon County Championships at Plymouth last weekend. National and county records tumbled as Kelly swimmers set new standards.

Outstanding swimmer was 13-year-old Tom Howe who broke two county records on successive days. He managed 4min 22.21 seconds in the 400m freestyle on the Saturday, knocking 12 seconds off the record.

On the Sunday, he watched Steven Beckerleg from Plymouth Leander set a new 13 year age group 1,500m record of 17min 54 seconds. Tom rose to the challenge and took the gold medal in 17min 13.08 seconds, knocking 46 seconds off his best time, good enough to set a new competition best time by some 42 seconds. Tom?s time also placed him second in the senior men?s championship event.

Kelly?s David Hill lowered his personal best for the 100m backstroke by 1.5 seconds, which moves him up the disability world rankings into the top 8 in the world in the S9 category. David, who has his lower arm missing, finished fourth in the boys? 13 years 100m backstroke final.

Adam John won a gold medal in 5.03.37 in the 11 years 400 freestyle, a new personal best time by 13 seconds.

Elaine Reyes won by 300ths of a second in the closest race of the championships with Plymouth Leander star Cassie Patten in the girls? 16 years 100m freestyle on the Saturday. The tables were reversed in the 400m freestyle on the Sunday when Elaine swam a personal best to set a new Gibraltar National Senior record in the 400m freestyle, finishing second to Cassie in 4.40.39

Sarah Thomas, 15, faced a tough line up for the women?s 50m butterfly. Seeded fourth fastest into the final, Sarah won in 29.79 in what proved to be another close race.

With five Kelly girls in the line up for the final of the 15 years 100m freestyle, it was Sarah Thomas again winning in a closely contested race from team-mates Rebecca Smith and Sarah Reader, swimming personal bests to finish second and third respectively. Sarah Thomas went on to repeat the process in the 400m freestyle, this time with Kelly?s Beth Campbell Bosely finishing second and Kelly?s Sarah Reader third.

In the absence of the two international swimming brothers Liam and Ryan Tancock, from Exeter City, Russell Page-Dove, Kelly?s senior men?s sprinter was untouchable in the men?s 50m fly and showed his improving form to win in 26.55.

Girls? team captain Rachel Banfield showed her class in the women?s open 400m freestyle. In an exciting finish Katie Martin, of Exeter City, just got the touch. Rachel?s time of 4.29.4 was a new personal best by three seconds.

Other 15-year-old medal winners included Jon Wills who picked up bronze in the 100 backstroke in a personal best and went two places better to win the 50m fly in 29.85 on the Sunday. Jenny Onyon put in a solid performance to place second in the girls? 200m breaststroke.

Ten-year-old Annie Tinsley kept her cool and pace when she was put under pressure from Tanya Flower of Plymouth Leander. Annie in both heats and finals managed to hold off the challenges to win in 5.43.27, a personal best by 19 seconds. Annie also struck gold in the 50m fly in a time of 38.38.

Ten-year-old Joe Clark, swam courageously in his debut event in the 400m freestyle where he would have been the clear winner only to be disqualified for misjudging one of his turns where he failed to touch the wall. But Joe went on to pick up a silver medal in the 50m Fly.

In the 12-year-old age group Josh Lake finished in silver medal position in all four of his events. Holly Yeo also produced two silver medal performances in the 50m fly and 200m breaststroke.

Michael Wallis in his first county championships was delighted with his bronze medal in the 50 fly.

Kelly took home 14 gold, 18 silver and six bronze medals.