BASINGSTOKE Bluefin swimmers Mitchell Coombes, Molly Goffin, Charlyne Lebosse and Millie Trist did themselves proud at the ASA National Championship at Ponds Forge in Sheffield.

The programme consisted of the full range of Olympic events, with both heats and finals.

The first Bluefin to race was Charlyne LeBosse, competing in the 100 metres butterfly and earlier in the summer achieved a bronze medallists in the regional championships in a lifetime best.

LeBosse continued her fine form in Sheffield and came within a whisker of the best time she recorded at the regional championships.

The other three Bluefins all competing in the highly technical 200 metres breaststroke event.

Coombes was the first of the three to compete, and as predicted, he qualified for the final of the event with a strong heat swim.

Trist, attending her first nationals, demonstrated some excellent technical skills in her race and did really well, particularly considering she has had a difficult few months prior to the event, being on a reduced training schedule whilst she nursed back to health a fracture ankle.

Last of the three to compete in the event was Goffin, taking part in her second nationals.

Last year, Goffin swam well at the championships and narrowly missed qualifying for the final by just one place.

This time she swam a well-paced race and qualified for the final, and in doing so recorded a new lifetime best as well.

In his final, Coombes, made a fast start in the first 50 metres, but was unable to maintain the same pace on the second half of the swim, but he still finished in a time not far off his lifetime best.

Goffin started her final with a blazing first 50 metres, and under the time she recorded for the same distance just a few hours earlier in the heat.

She continued throughout the rest of her race with the same grit and determination, finishing her last 50 metres split time a massive 1.5 seconds faster than her heat swim. Touching the wall in another lifetime best time and a well-deserved sixth place.

Bearing in mind it’s quite an achievement just to qualify for an event at these championships, the swimmers all showed great potential for forthcoming top level competitions and championships.

l The ASA Open Water National Festival took place in Rother Valley Country Park comprising the ASA National Masters Championships and the ASA National Age Group Championships.

Basingstoke Bluefin Rowan Williams qualified for the event by finishing third in her age group at the ASA Southern Region Championships.

The race distance for each age group varied with older ages swimming longer distances.

Competing in the 17/18 age group category Williams had to swim 5km, comprising five one km loops of the main lake at Rother Valley and she came in 21st place in a time of 1hour 17min 36sec.

l Basingstoke Bluefins Swim Club encompasses the full spectrum of swimming level and ability, from learn to swim, through development stages, and culminating in national competition level. For more information see bbfsc.org