BROMSGROVE Swimming Club battled to third place in the first round of this season's diddy league last weekend.

The league is the most prestigious tournament for nine to 12-year-old club swimmers, and Bromsgrove made a fighting start to life in Division Two after last year's promotion.

Just like football's Premier League, it is very easy to be relegated immediately in the first year of promotion as teams have to step up a level. It is very important to put in a competitive performance early on to consolidate their new position.

Bromsgrove's youngsters did just that, coming fourth at Rugby last weekend which sets them up with a good draw for round two next month.

Amazingly enough Bromsgrove had only one win all night from ten-year-old Alice Woodyatt in the butterfly, but there was a string of combative seconds to keep the town's points tally ticking along.

Sarah Swan managed that in the ten years freestyle and then again when she teamed up with Woodyatt, Rebecca Mullett and Sophie Andrews in the medley relay.

Then she was there again with Mullett, C Wood, Nia Barratt, Olivia Alton, Emilly McNally, Emily Luke and Loren Harrison in the girls eight lengths freestyle cannon event.

Other members of that team achieved the five points that comes with second with Harrison in 12 years breaststroke, and Alton in 11 years freestyle, whilst Alton was there again with Amy Wright, Hannah Brehaut and McNally again in the freestyle relay.

Elizabeth Sydenham came second in backstroke, as did Tom Mansell for the boys. Ryan Cooper did likewise in the breaststroke as Bromsgrove finished the night on 133 points behind Leamington and hosts Rugby.