WORCESTER Swimming Club secured a place in the prestigious National Arena League finals for the second year running.

They had qualified for the national B final for the first time in the club’s history this year.

The West Midlands regional final at Rugby saw Worcester finish second with 199 points behind City of Derby A on 208.

Boldmere A scored 179, Leamington 169, Sutton-in-Ashfield 147 and Abingdon Vale 141.

After the previous two rounds Worcester topped the league on gala points with Derby second and Leamington third.

They started well as Olivia Fletcher won the women’s open 200m individual medley in two minutes 21.16 seconds.

Sam Hall, back from Cardiff University, added second in the men’s open 200m IM (2.12.23).

Megan Annis, racing in the girls’ 15/u section, picked up a second spot before Harry Chandler won the boys’ 10/11 50m butterfly (32.66).

David Annis was first in the boys’ 13/u 100m backstroke (1.09.23) as was Will Gearey in the 15/u 100m butterfly (1.00.91).

Jennifer Gearey finished second in the women’s open 100m backstroke (1.06.91) and newcomer Max Murray did likewise in the boys’ 13/u 100m butterfly (1.07.69).

Will Gearey was second in the boys’ 15/u 100m freestyle (54.63) while Tabitha Monkhouse stormed to victory in the women’s open 100m breaststroke (1.12.99).

Chandler won again in the boys’ 10/11 50m freestyle (30.63) and Aimee Monks claimed the girls’ 13/u 100m freestyle (1.02.93).

Murray was second in the boys’ 13/u 100m freestyle (1.01.52) while Fletcher finished runner-up in the women’s open 100m freestyle (58.77).

In the relays, the boys’ 15/u medley quartet of Louis Doyle, George Glover, Will Gearey and Daniel Day won easily.

There were close second places for other relay teams including the boys’ 10/11 4x50m medley, boys’ 13/u 4x50m freestyle, girls’ 13/u 4x50m freestyle and men’s open 6x50m freestyle.

The women’s open 6x50m freestyle team of Charlotte Hall, Fletcher, Madeleine Hoare, Jennifer Gearey, Josie Armstrong and Monkhouse added another success. The B final will be at Cardiff in March.

Worcester head coach Mark Stowe said: “It was a wonderful team performance.

“Without exception, every single swimmer stepped up, swam superbly and contributed to a thrilling result. I was delighted.

“Making the national finals last year was brilliant but as is so often the case in sport it’s sometimes harder to stay at the top than get there in the first place.

“Therefore to repeat that achievement again this year is really pleasing. Huge congratulations to all the swimmers, it’s reward for all their hard work and dedication!”

Meghan Higgs, Amelie Forsyth-Ball, Grace Earp, Jessica Day, Jacob Cutler, William Pridden, William Thomas, Emily Clacher, Jessica Dobson, Emma McKay, Adam Rutter, Sam Hawes, Madeleine Fox-Haskins, Lauren Annis, Natasha Dobson, Naomi Marsden, Antony Redfern, Milly Hemming, Ciara Mahanta, Matthew Thomas, Bethan Stokes, Alex Farmer, Bryony Lowe, Kai Gooden-Morris, Libby Gooden-Morris and Beau Vaughan-Hawkins were also in the squad.