TEENAGERS Jamie Wilks and Henry Offin rounded off their successful swimming season at the recent National Age Group Championships in the prestigious 50-metre competition swimming venue Ponds Forge, Sheffield.
The two 13-year-olds, who both achieved top honours in the 2013 Surrey County and South East Regional Swimming Championships, finished on a high too, with new personal bests.
Wilks achieved a personal best time and club record in his 200m butterfly heat. In the final he finished as the sixth placed UK swimmer with another personal best time (2.19.55) and club record. He also achieved a personal best time in the 100m freestyle.
Meanwhile, Offin achieved a personal best time in the heat of the 200m individual medley and went onto the final to finish as the seventh-placed UK swimmer.
On day two he competed in the long and gruelling 1500m freestyle and grabbed fifth place in a personal best and club record time (17:26.26). The next day he competed in the 400m freestyle with another personal best time and club record. Once again Offin made the final and finished as the fifth-placed UK swimmer.
On the penultimate day both boys made the final of the 200m freestyle and achieved fantastic personal best times, with Wilks taking the club record (2:03.57).
In the final Offin finished eighth and Wilks the fifth placed of the UK swimmers.
Offin completed the championships with a massive ten-second improvement on his 400m individual medley entry time and competed in the final to be placed the eighth UK swimmer.
This week Vine will return to Ponds Forge to support Leatherhead's Millie Reed, who competes in the 100m and 200m breaststroke events at the National Youth Swimming Championships 2013.
