PIONEER 79s young swimmers were praised for their ‘magnificent’ performance in snatching second place in the Micro-League North West Final.

The Micro-League involves swimmers aged up to 12-years-old and this was Pioneer 79s first year in the competition’s top flight after being promoted last year.

Head coach Lee Stringfellow said: "We performed superbly in the early rounds of the Micro-League and reaching the final was considered a real achievement.

"But once there, we surpassed even that. We were up against the best club teams in the region and to take second place was beyond even our high expectations - they were magnificent."

Pioneer 79, which is based at Hyndburn Sports Centre and QEGS in Blackburn, travelled to the packed Lancaster Salt Ayre sports complex for the final.

There they faced Southport, Preston and Fleetwood in the final - three teams that are considered powerhouses of regional swimming.

After 12 events, Pioneer were locked in third place with Preston, trailing Fleetwood and National Finalists Southport.

By the mid-point of the final, Pioneer swimmers turned the screw and nudged ahead of Preston and Fleetwood, a position they never relinquished.

"It was a fantastic team performance," added Lee.

"And this was supported by some outstanding individual achievements."

Solo successes included four new records being set by Pioneer 79 swimmers.

Connor Makin toppled a 14-year-old record in the 12-year-old 50m breaststroke.

Other record-breakers were Karmen Hammonds in the 12-year-old backstroke and Elizabeth Greenwood who broke backstroke and butterfly records in the nine-year-old category.

Lee summed up the performance: "This is an almost unbelievable result - but one that the swimmers have worked really hard for."