Swimmer Jessica Thorpe, aged 15, represented England in the Catholic Schools International competition in Portugal and came away with two individual gold medals and a team silver.
Jess, who goes to St Peter’s High School in Orrell and trains under the Wigan BEST (borough elite swimming team) scheme, set new competition records in the 100m and 200m backstroke.
Wigan BEST open water swimmers also took part in the British Long Distance Swimming Association’s competition at Wykeham Lakes near Scarborough.
They dominated the 2 mile event with the Deanery High’s Chris Suggitt taking first place in the junior boys event, fellow Deanery pupil Eleanor Jackson first in the senior female event, Eve Fellows winning 2nd in the girls’ junior event, while Mike Jackson (not pictured) was the 1st breaststroke swimmer home in the senior men’s event.
Eve Fellows, Chris Suggitt and Eleanor Jackson show off their trophies.
In the Lancashire county championships held in Manchester earlier in the year the borough’s best won a fantastic sixty-nine medals – 22 of them gold.
Head coach Les France said: “We’re a young club adapting to the changes in facilities. The swimmers have been very positive, and have shown tremendous character.
“They are continuing the borough’s great swimming traditions.”
For more information visit Wigan B.E.S.T. Swimming Club (external link)
