Next week a 30 strong Essex based performance squad will travel to the Luxembourg Euromeet on the 29th - 31st January to compete in a high level International Swim Meet. 

 

The swimmers will be rubbing shoulders with many Olympians such as the French Olympic 100m Freestyle Gold medallist Alain Bernard and the USA backstroker Randall Bal. The performance unit are selected from all swimmers based in East London and Essex who are ranked in the Country's top 17 in their age and event. It is a squad run from the bottom up with the coaches of all Essex based clubs, working together to enable swimmers to access training at a higher level and prolong swimmers careers within the county.

 

Principal sponsor Russ Kitching of Frutina Ltd quoted 'It's great to support a programme like this. The swimmers have earnt their selection through hard work, we have seen a rise in the squad size despite raising the qualifying bar. That shows that performance swimming in Essex is on the up, with others aspiring to be part of it. Competing on the continent can only widen young swimmers perspective and help them maximise their potential'.

 

The Essex ASA also have agreed to sponsor the squad this season, to assist the development of performance swimming within the County.

 

The squad, who also once a month train together around the County as a unit under Mike Bush (Waltham Forest), who heads up the staff going to Luxembourg which will include Will Brogan (Southend) Gary Rogers (Romford) and Louise Walton (Havering).

 

The Ortus Londinium swimmers competing in Luxembourg will be Allen Lindenburg, Verity Goodey, Daniel Stepton, Sophie Drake, Elliot Hill, Poppy Hill, James Davis, Elizabeth Hare, Dean Smith, Elena Sheridan, Sean Houlihan, Kalai Andrews, Harry Payne, Stephanie Malcolm, Alex Keating, Charlie Dentith, Sean Tomlins, Daniel Sorrel,  Chris Inch, Lewis Clifford Stephenson, Alex Delicata & Ben Hollis

 

Younger swimmers from Ortus Londinium who will be competing in Nice, France, in March

are Barton Townley, Brock Whiston, Jarrold Bradfield, Katheryn Pearce, Eliza Duffy, Amelia Knowles, Sonny Ford, Ellie Pearce, Luke Bourne, Luke Durban, Harry Coker & Sonny Ford.