More than 100 youngsters from 34 different schools jumped in the pool to compete for medals at the Watford & District Primary Schools Swimming Championships last Friday.

Swimmers from Year 5 and 6 took part in a number of different events with an eye on selection for the Watford and District squad ahead of the Hertfordshire County competition in May.

The stars of the gala at Watford Leisure Centre were Ellie Lock, a Year 6 pupil from the Royal Masonic School, and Henry Waring, Year 5 from Northwood Prep who took home four medals each in the backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle.

Jamie Owen, Year 6 from the Russell School, and Erin O’Meara, Year 5 from St Hilda’s, each claimed three gold medals. Owen won gold in the backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle.

His clean sweep was denied by Jamar Iferenta from Haberdashers Askes Boys School who won the gold medal in the butterfly.

O’Meara won gold in all her events except the backstroke which was won by Chloe Warne from Leavesden Green School as O’Meara picked up the silver medal.

A trio of swimmers picked up three silver medals.

Benjamin Green, Year 5 from Harvey Road, won silver in backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle.

Ethan Sutton, Year 6 from Yorke Mead, was second in backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly and Sutton also won the bronze medal for the freestyle event.

Madeline Stares from the Royal Masonic School took silver in breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly.

Francesca Peccei, Year 6 from Charlotte House, took home the silver medal in the freestyle and bronze medals in butterfly and the backstroke.

Manraj Singh, Year 5 from Haberdashers Boys School won a brace of bronze medals in backstroke and freestyle.

Fleur Hines, Year 5 from St Joseph’s, claimed silver in breaststroke and butterfly and the bronze in the backstroke. Lauren Cliffe, Year 5 from the Royal Masonic School, clinched silver in the breaststroke and bronze in the butterfly.

Other medal winners in Year 5 included Haberdashers’ Bailey Newington, who won the butterfly, and Ayer Pulle, who took bronze.

The breastroke bronze medal went to Lewis Shayler from Yorke Mead. In Year 6, the boys’ butterfly bronze went to Noah Stewart from Habs Boys, the backstroke bronze belonged to Michael Kirwan from Parkgate School and the breaststroke bronze was won by Ishaan Shah from Habs Boys.

In the Year 5 girls competition, Caitlin Loo from Edge Grove School took the silver in the freestyle while Freya Witheat from Royal Masonic won the bronze.

In Year 6, Amber Stratford from St Pauls took the bronze in the breaststroke and Niamh Clarke won the medal for finishing third in the freestyle.