SIX Worcester swimmers travelled to the new pool at Corby for the Midland Winter Short Course Championships.

While there were fine performances from Hayley Weaver, Joel Smith and Cara Lee, it was the club’s three breaststroke specialists who made the biggest splash.

Tabitha Monkhouse was in brilliant form, recording four personal best times — most notably a stunning two minutes 43.12 seconds in the women’s 200 metres breaststroke. This qualified her for the final where she finished eighth, picking up a bronze medal as the third best junior (15 and under) swimmer.

It was also her first ever national qualifying time.

Knocking two seconds off her only two-week old personal best, itself a four-second improvement on her previous best time, she set a blistering pace in one of the early heats that no one else could match. Although only narrowly inside the national qualifying time, this was a terrific achievement so early in the season — the championships are not being held until August next year.

It is a reward for Monkhouse’s hard work, consistently training 14-15 hours per week.

Not to be outdone, her brother Rupert showed a fine return to form, also in the 200m breaststroke. In a time only fractionally outside his personal best, he qualified eighth for the men’s final and then showed all his skills and determination to move up a place to seventh.

Worcester’s Sarah Cowin swam equally well and could count herself a little unlucky. She missed the final of the women’s 50m breaststroke by just hundredths of a second in ninth place but still recorded a personal best time.

Worcester’s head coach, Mark Stowe, was delighted: “All the swimmers swam well though clearly Tabby was the star.

“Although only 14, she is a real role model for the younger swimmers at the club and an excellent example of how long term athlete development should work. “Her success is the result of substantial commitment and sacrifice over the last three years so I’m thrilled that she is now beginning to reap the rewards that all her hard work deserves.”

If you are interested in joining Worcester Swimming Club email Mark Stowe on coach@worcester.co.uk or call 07986-749401.