The final day of the British Synchronised Swimming Championships and the asa National Age Groups concluded with impressive performances from all athletes.

The closest fought event of the day was the Team Technical with Rushmoor and Trafford entering the event with just a point separating them.

Reigning Champions Rushmoor were trying to continue their seven year streak and found themselves drawn before Trafford. The team put in an impressive performance to score 6s and 7s and although they had some timing problems in the middle of the routine pulled it back and showed their power with good sequence of boosts.

Trafford also put in a good performance and showed good speed throughout their routine and scored well. The teams then had a difficult wait for the results to be announced.

Trafford stole the title from Rushmoor after a last minute appeal gave a penalty to Rushmoor. Trafford won the gold with 66.167 points and Rushmoor finished with 66.001 to take the silver medal.

Trafford Coach Jo Bean said: “I can’t believe we have just broken Rushmoor’s seven year record. I coach the team and I also swim in it and I just couldn’t be prouder of the girls than right now. They couldn’t have given me anymore than they did and it feels so good now we are the champions.

“It has made all the hard work worthwhile and all the hours stood on the pool-side in Stockport worth it. And I know we are just starting our seven year streak!”

Bronze went to Reading Royals with 66.667.

Walsall continued their excellent run with gold in the Duet event after Zoe Cooper and Alex Barnett put in another strong performance.

The routine showed a lot of movement through the pool and continued height in their boosts and the girls finished their routine to see scores of 7s on the board.

They secured a total of 70.667 to take the gold medal, the second gold for Cooper in two days.

“It was such an amazing swim,” Barnett said. “We have just watched it back on the video and it looked amazing. Even with a couple of errors we were still really happy with it. It would have been good to have scored all 7s but we are pleased.

“It is a dream come true to be national champions and I have done it with my best friend. This is the icing on the cake of an excellent weekend for the club.”

The silver went to the City of Leeds Duet, Heba Abdel Esteanez and Cheryl Williamson, with a score of 66.417. Jessica Fletcher and Melissa Halliwell (Trafford) found themselves drawing for third place with the Rushmoor Duet of April Poulter and Louise Anderson with a score of 59.500. But after scoring a higher mark in technical merit the Trafford pair took home the bronze medal.

The 15-17 years Duet Free saw Anya Tarasiuk and Alex O’Mahony (Bristol Central) show their maturity with an impressive performance that secured the gold medal for them.

Although there were a couple of timing errors the girls looked powerful in the water and with good extensions and execution of the routine they scored good 6s to take a total score of 60.848 to take the gold medal.

“I wasn’t so nervous going into this one,” Tarasiuk said. “I was so proud of myself yesterday and I think that helped me for today’s performance. We just knew we had to put in our best possible performance.”

“We were drawn first and that is always the worst place to be drawn,” O’Mahony said. “Also the rest of the athletes in our age group were much further down the list of competitors than us which gave us a challenge. But we are so happy to win the gold medal.”

Tarasiuk also won the Shacklock Trophy which is awarded to the athlete that has the highest total of routine scores in the solo, duet and team events.

Rushmoor’s April Poulter and Louise Anderson took the silver with a score of 58.911 and bronze went to Ava Pierro and Kristina Holley with a total of 58.440.

-ENDS-

18 – 19 Duet Free (Competitive)

Gold - Jessica Fletcher and Melissa Halliwell 58.913

18 – 19 Duet Free (Recreational)

Gold – Lauren Blunden and Jessica Sanders 50.333

13 – 14 years Team

Gold – Rushmoor 57.52

For further details contact British Swimming Media Officer Gemma Field on 01509 632262, 07917 726431 or email gemma.field@swimming.org

British Swimming is the National Governing Body for Swimming, Diving, Synchronised Swimming, Water Polo and Open Water in Great Britain.  It is responsible internationally for the high performance representation of the sport. The members of British Swimming are the three Home Countries national governing bodies of England (Amateur Swimming Association), Scotland (Scottish Amateur Swimming Association) and Wales (Welsh Amateur Swimming Association). British Swimming seeks to enable its athletes to achieve gold medal success at the Olympics, Paralympics, World Championships and Commonwealth Games.

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