Swift leads the way for Team Luton at Regional Championships

Team Luton improved on last year’s medal haul, winning nine medals and finishing 11th on the medal table, three places higher than 2012.

Nathan Swift, 11, claimed eight medals as he qualified for all 12 events and reached all but one final.

Swift won gold in the 400m and 1,500m freestyle and took silver in the 400m individual medley.

He also swam to silver in the 100m and 200m freestyle, which involved two very exciting finals with Swift in fifth place at the last 50m turn in both races, but he put in magnificent sprints in the last length to come second.

He won a trio of bronze medals, one coming in the 200m breaststroke with a five-second personal best in the heat and another five-second best coming in the final two hours later as he clocked 3.08.00mins.

Swift swam a four-second PB in the 100m breaststroke in 1.29.60mins to win his second bronze and in the last event of the championships, the 200m butterfly, produced a best of 2.46.28mins to win his third bronze.

Over the championships Swift set six PBs and set two new club records in the 100m freestyle and 200m butterfly.

For a full report, see the News/Gazette on sale now.