Watford swimmers sealed first place at the annual Hertfordshire Inter District Swimming Gala for the first time since 2007 on Friday.

Swimmers from Years 5 and 6 were in action but it was the Watford contingent who impressed; they collected medals in 21 of the 24 events and set two new championship records in the process. Erin O’Meara was the first Watford swimmer to receive silverware after she stormed to victory in the Year 6 girls’ breaststroke in a new personal best time of 37.85 – the St Hilda’s School pupil competed in national finals 24 hours later and claimed silver medal in the same event.

The Year 5 boys’ backstroke was won by Arvin Rodriguez in 39.13 while Benjamin Green clinched silver in the Year 6 event.

Emily Roycroft and Cara O’Toole claimed second-place finishes in the Year 5 and Year 6 girls’ backstroke races.

In the boys’ Year 6 breaststroke Lewis Shayler won gold in 38.42 and Charlie Taverner took first in the Year 5 boys’ equivalent. Dillan Attygale was second.

Further medals came in the butterfly discipline. Henry Wareing set a new record of 32.91 in the Year 5 boys’ event to finish in top spot while silver medals went to Daniel Ord in the Year 5 boys’ race, Jessica Williamson in the Year 5 girls’ and Fleur Hines in the Year 6 girls’ event.

Rhianna Patel (36.46) and Caitlan Loo (30.91) won gold medals in the Year 5 and Year 6 freestyle races, Ella Anatasiou was third in the latter. In the Year 5 boys’ Enzo Lim clinched silver.

Watford swimmers took a clean sweep of gold medals in the medley relays, winning all four medals. The Year 6 girls’ side of O’Toole, O’Meara, Hines and Loo swam 1.05.82 to claim a new event record.

Two silvers and a bronze in the freestyle relays finished a medal-laden evening for Watford, who received the Rose Bowl for clinching first and the May Dawson Trophy for the fastest medley relay time of the evening.

The Year 5 boys’ side won the Herts Schools’ Swimming Association Trophy after being named best team.

Watford team manager Zoe McQuire said: “I am so proud of these children. They came together from different schools for the most part but left as a team.

“They cheered their teammates who won medals and trophies and took real delight in the team successes.”