CITY of Hereford Swimming Club’s A team clinched an excellent second place in an exciting premier gala in Bristol.

Competing at Horfield pool were Bristol Henleaze (Division 1 National League), Keynsham (Former South West premier division rivals), Stroud (Division 1 and Hereford Open Winners ‘07’) and the three good Division 2 teams Southwold, Clevedon and Bristol Central.

With a strong seven-team line up, plus Gloucestershire’s most experience referee Herbie Adams in charge, the gala was set to be Hereford’s toughest for two years.

As expected there were many National qualifiers, finalists and even a GB swimmer on display.

This did not faze Hereford’s predominantly junior-based squad and, at the half-way mark, the city club had a five-point lead over Keynsham.

But by the three-quarter mark, Keynsham’s star-studded squad had stepped up a gear and moved 20 points clear, a lead they would hold for the rest of the gala.

The competition had a thrilling final race in the 6x50m men’s freestyle relay where Keynsham, Stroud, Southwold and a young Hereford team battled it out with a very close finish.

Hereford sat 15 metres back for the first three 50s before new recruit Alex Rust (Millfield) powered through from sixth to second on the fourth leg.

Olly Bufton moved Hereford into joint first and Pat Megittt touched joint first with GB swimmer Richard Webb (Keynsham), only to find the score-board placing the club second.

First place finishes; 11/U Girls Freestyle and Medley Team, 11/U Boys Medley Team, 13/U Boys Freestyle and Medley Team, 15/U Boys Freestyle Team, Open Ladies Medley Team, Lydia Waldron – 11yrs backstroke, Lucia Hinksman - 15yrs backstroke, Alex Rust – Opens Butterfly/Freestyle, Bradley Willson -11yrs butterfly, Hannah Casewell – 11yrs breaststroke & Jamie Westoby – 11yrs breaststroke.

The final points were; Keynsham 284, City of Hereford 260, Stroud 228, Bristol Henleaze 191, Southwold 166, Clevedon 156 & Bristol Central 114.

City of Hereford used a Worcester County development meet as pre-season sprints for its potential squads, sending an 18-strong team of 18 swimmers to Wolverhampton.

Again, City of Hereford tried to avoid swimming its regular swimmers giving fresh blood the chance to take centre stage.

Nine-year-old Jade Adcock clocked an 18-second PB and took a gold medal in the 100m Individual Medley, Millie Boucher finished top-six in this event and the 50m butterfly but produced her best performance in the 50m breaststroke where she collected a silver medal and further underlined her versatility with a top-six finish in the freestyle.

At 11-year level, Madeleine Hayden Woodward took bronze in the 50m freestyle while Carla Thornewell finished top-six in the Individual Medley and the breaststroke.

For the boys, Cobus Oosthuizen took a well deserved bronze in the nine-years 50m backstroke and finished top six in the nine-years freestyle while Daniel Westoby took bronze in the 11-years 50m breaststroke.