Pioneer 79 sent 47 swimmers to compete at the Lancashire County Swimming Championships in Manchester recently.

The results this year for Pioneer 79 Swimming Club were undoubtedly the most successful to date, with the club finishing sixth position overall in the ‘Top Club’ rankings - 124 points clear of Wigan and just 32 points behind Preston who finished in 5th position with the big city clubs taking the top 4 places.

Mike Wilson, Head Coach at Pioneer 79 said: “I am extremely pleased with the performances that our swimmers produced at this competition. It has been a difficult transformation for them to compete long course after the Christmas Break, having been competing short course events prior to that since September.

“This year’s County Championships have shown some promising results with such, can only strengthen the identity of Pioneer 79 Swimming Club within Lancashire and the North West. For a minority, this was the first time they had swam in, let alone competed in a long course (50m) pool, they adapted well, and with further opportunities of competing and training in a 50m pool, their confidence can only grow.

“I would like to congratulate every swimmer competing and wish them the very best of luck for the next seven months.”

One of the most memorable events was the final of the Mens 50m Backstroke. Club captain Tom Gilroy had qualified in fastest position for the final, just 0.11 seconds ahead of City of Liverpool’s Antony Evitts.

With just 5m to go, Antony Evitts had the advantage, however, from out of nowhere, Tom inched ahead at the final second, taking the open age group gold medal and the senior championship gold in a time of 27.32.

In the girls 10/11 years 100m Breaststroke Pioneer had two swimmers competing, Mia Smith and Jessica Simpson, qualifying 3rd and 4th fastest respectively.

At 50m, both girls were neck and neck in 4th position, touching on exactly the same time, however, down the final 50m it was Jess Simpson that found herself pushing past the City of Salford girl, to storm into bronze medal position and finishing 3rd in her age group – Mia touched just one second behind in 5th.

This was Jess’s first ever County Medal, a race she will be able to watch on YouTube for many years to come!

For 12-year-old Pioneer 79 Para Swimmer, Ethan Naisbitt, this year’s Counties was extremely successful, achieving personal best times in each event entered, the 50/100 Free and 100 Back.

Ethan’s efforts make him currently ranked No.2 in the NW in 50/100 Free and 100 Back, No 6 in the UK in 100 Back, No.7 in the 50 Free and No.10 in the 100 Free with the times he achieved at the Counties.

These times have also qualified him for National and International Disability events, and Ethan has also subsequently been rewarded with a place on the ‘Para Spotlight Programme’.

Ethan will be competing in various events over the course of the season, however, the biggest so far will be in April, when he competes against the country’s top para swimmers at the British

Para-Swimming International Meet 2016 at

Tolcross International Swimming Centre in Glasgow.

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Medallists: Jess Simpson – 1 Bronze; Eleanor Collin – 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 3 Bronze, 1 JC Silver; Ben Turland – 1 Silver, 2 Bronze; Tom Gilroy – 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 SC Gold, 1 SC Silver; Ben Martin – 2 Gold, 1 Silver, 2 JC Gold, 1 JC Bronze, 1 SC Bronze; Izzy Cockerham – 2 Silver, 1 Bronze; Meghann Leaver – 1 Silver, 1 Bronze, 1 SC Silver, 1 SC Bronze; Beth Hartwell – 1 Bronze; Harry Robinson – 1 Silver, 2 Bronze; Elodie Smallwood – 2 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 JC Silver, 2 JC Bronze; Mikaela Shackleton – 1 Bronze; Ellie Perris – 1 Bronze; Ben Makin – 1 Silver; Niamh Robinson – 3 Gold, 3 Silver, 3 Bronze, 3 SC Gold, 2 SC Silver, 3 SC Bronze