TOP PERFORMER: Tadcaster's 14-year-old Tom Davies, who was awarded the 'Top Boy' prize at the York City Baths Club Millennium graded meeting

Five first places earned Tadcaster Swim Squad star Tom Davies the 'Top Boy' award at York City Baths Club Millennium graded meeting.

Davies also achieved six personal bests in the 14-year-old boys age group and received a Speedo goody bag for his efforts.

His five wins came in the 50m Freestyle in a time of 30.02 seconds; 100m Freestyle 1min 05.55sec; 100m Backstroke 1-17.06; 100m Butterfly 1-15.41; 100m Individual Medley 1-16.44. He also picked up a personal best when finishing fourth in the 100m Breaststroke in 1-32.64.

It was the first gala of the new Amateur Swimming Association year and every Tadcaster swimmer achieved at least one personal best time, despite all stepping up a year group.

Eight swimmers, Amy Davies, Charlotte Black, Polly Gardonyi, Leah Dever, Tim Smyrk, Ben Walker, Luisa Horwell and Claire Dearnley, all gained three or more personal bests.

Dever was one of four Tadcaster members who entered an open competition for the first time along with Chloe Carter, James Webster and Matthew Fiddler.

They all gained good placings in their respective races with Webster picking up a first place in the freestyle and second in the 50m Backstroke.

The gala saw the 11-year age group step up to the 100m distances. Claire Dearnley and Jonathon Briggs both gained medals with fifth places in the breaststroke, while Naomi Boynton and Ben Walker both performed well.

There were two plucky swimmers in the 12-year age group, Anna Horwell and Andrew Cowan, who achieved medals in the individual medley and breaststroke, respectively, on their return from illness.

Polly Gardonyi gained a personal best in the freestyle and Charlotte Black won medals in the individual medley, backstroke and freestyle.

In the 13-year age group, Claire Passmore achieved a personal best in the backstroke and Tim Smyrk made improvements on all three of his times.

Luisa Horwell came sixth in the 14-year-olds 50m Lungbuster race and there was a pb in the individual medley for Laura Dryden.

In the Millennium Canon freestyle relay Tadcaster came third out of the four clubs who competed.

Five records were broken in the first half of New Earswick Swimming Club's annual championships.

In the girls nine and under 40m event Jennifer Welsh broke both the 1990 freestyle record held for ten years by Emma Caywood, and the 1998 breaststroke record.

Andrew Clapham broke his own 1999 boys 11 years and under 100m backstroke record by over four seconds.

Also breaking his own 1999 record by three seconds was Aaron Gallimore in the boys 14 and over 200m freestyle, and in winning the Boys Open Age 100m backstroke Tony Shaw beat the 1999 record by three-and-a-half seconds.

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