City of Sheffield double kicks off National Age Group Championships

City of Sheffield swimming club took home two gold medals in the 7.5k races at the GoCardless Swim England Open Water National Age Group Championships 2024.

On a sunny start to the day, the home town club began the day in style as Ava Cook secured top-spot in the 16 years female category, whilst Molly Baker was victorious in the 17/18 years race.

Other winners on an action-packed morning at Rother Valley Country Park were; Joshua Keogh of Bolton Metro (Open/Male – 16 years); Wycombe Districts’ Samuel Williams (Open/Male 17/18 years); Isaac Dodds of Tigers Jersey (Open/Male 19 years) and Guildford City’s Nicole Ryan (Female 19 years).

Cook goes back-to-back

Cook was one of the stars of the morning’s swims in Sheffield as she stormed to victory in the Female 16 Years event.

She won the 15-year 3k category at last year’s Championships, and came home this year in a time of 01:41:01, and was delighted with another gold medal.

She said: “I won it last year, so it’s nice to win it again.”

“I also do pool swimming, and I was at the Aquatics GB Swimming Championships last week and I trained for 800m and 1500m, so this was a bit of an extra swim!”

Cook is now going to take a well-earned break before getting back into training for next season.

Following her home in second spot was Jemima Swale of Portsmouth Northsea. She finished in 1:42.39 as she took clean water and pushed on for a comfortable second place.

Rounding out the podium was an impressive swim from Northampton’s Grace Grindrod. She finished in a time of 1:43.39, almost a minute clear of her nearest challenger for the podium places.

Cook’s Sheffield team-mate, Molly Baker, was equally delighted to be on top of the podium in the Female 17/18 Years race.

Baker secured victory in a time of 01:38:13 and said “I’m feeling pretty good after the race.

She said: “I got an upgrade from last year, going from third to first, which feels really nice!”

There was quite a stiff breeze at the course which Baker definitely noticed as she approached the closing stages.

“I definitely felt it [the wind] on the last few laps, but I just tried to stay calm and keep going.”

Plymouth Leander’s Evangeline Belt led a group of three swimmers who attempted to keep up with Baker’s breakaway pace to finish second.

She set a time of 01:38.48 to touch the finish line just five seconds ahead of Evangeline Stacey who took bronze.

City of Leeds’ Stacey made it a double podium for Yorkshire based clubs as she held off Repton’s Madison Emment by just a second to come away with bronze.

Keogh wins gold on Championships debut

The wind was also remarked on by Joshua Keogh, who came first in the opening race of the day in a time of 01:33:55.

He came away with the 16 Years Open/Male gold medal finishing just a second ahead of City of Salford’s Benjamin Ross as the pair dashed for the finish.

It was the Bolton Metro swimmer that came out on top however in what was his competition debut in South Yorkshire.

“It’s my first year doing it so it’s really good to get gold,” he said.

“It was quite windy, so certain directions were easier than others, but overall, a pretty good day.”

Ross had to settle for silver despite a stunning swim with Jack Bamborough from the City of Cardiff completing the top three.

The Welshman wasn’t far off the top two either, coming home in a time of 1:34.09 ahead of Wycombe’s Rufus Parry in fourth.

Samuel Williams came out on top in the 17/18 Years to win his second race in two years at the Championships.

He topped the 16 Years 5k race last time out but despite the extra distance he extended his advantage to win by just over a minute at Rother Valley.

He finished in 1:29.48 ahead of Anton Supov of Maidenhead who was just outside of the 91-minute-mark.

He pulled clear of the rest of the field to finish in 1:31.02 to leave Ryan Wall and Adam Mccauley-Wright to battle it out for the bronze.

The pair battled to the finish but it was the City of Cambridge’s Wall that came out on top, finishing three seconds ahead of the Portsmouth Northsea man.

Tigers Jersey’s Issac Dodds won a thrilling finale in the Open/Male 19 Years event.

He held off Jack Booth Rudd from Portsmouth Northsea by just two seconds in a head-to-head battle for the gold.

It was Dodds however that touched the flag first despite them both pulling almost four minutes ahead of a strong field that followed.

That group was topped by Barnet Copthall’s James Kaye who swam well for bronze in 01:35.15.

Nicole Ryan put in a dominating display to come away with the Female 19+ Years gold medal.

The Guildford City Swimming Club athlete finished darted into clear water to finish almost two minutes ahead of Team Luton’s Talia Staines.

Staines also broke away from the main pack in impressive style to set a 1:37:00 as she was the only other swimmer to break the one hour and 40 minute mark.

Bronze went to Scotland’s Emily Louise Riach who was representing the University of Aberdeen Performance Squad. She finished in 1:40.15 to complete the morning’s medalists.

You can find all the results from the GoCardless Swim England Open Water National Age Group Championships here.