SWIMMING: A small group of seven swimmers competed with great distinction for Ealing Swimming Club in the Dutch Short Course Nationals held in Amsterdam before Christmas.

Lauren Turner had a particularly good meet, winning three gold and two bronze medals and achieving Junior London Region records in all her events. She was first Junior (15/under) in the 100m and 200m backstroke and the 200m freestyle. She also qualified for the A Open final of these events, finishing in fourth, fifth

and seventh places respectively.

Her bronze medals were won in the 100m freestyle, where she was third junior and the women's 4x100m freestyle relay where the team of Lauren, Jenna Turner, Natalie Durant and Polly Kemp-King were third to a first place which was a new world record set by a team from the Dutch club Eiffel Swimmers.

The team also competed in the 4x100m medley where they achieved fourth place and Jenna swam the freestyle leg in 54.66 seconds.

Natalie Durant began the competition well, winning the bronze medal in the 200m backstroke in 2.11.96, but had to battle through illness in the remaining events. She nevetheless made it to the 200m freestyle A final, where she finished eighth, and qualified for the B final of the 50m freestyle.

Jenna Turner made the A final of the 100m freestyle, finishing seventh, but her time of 55.53 in the heats was a new London Region record. Jenna also qualified for the B final of the 100m butterfly.

Polly Kemp-King came eighth in the 800m freestyle in a personal best time of 9.28.87.

The Ealing men also achieved excellent results. Chris Jones (27 and recently arrived at Ealing from Swindon) won the silver medal in the 200m breaststroke, came fourth in the 50m breaststroke and fifth in the 100m breaststroke.All Jones' times were new London Region records and personal best times. He also swam the 200m freestyle in a personal best time.

Kyle Barrett made fourth

place in the A final of the 200m backstroke and second place in the B final of the 100m backstroke. In the 200m medley, Barrett finished third in the B final, beaten to the finish by his twin brother Connor who was second.

Ealing finished an impressive 10th overall and had Gina Heyn and Charlie Turner not been prevented from competing by illness and injury, the final place might have been even higher.

All new London Region records were also Middlesex and Ealing Swimming Club records.