Swimmers taste British success at University Championships

Plymouth Leander's Laura Stephens topped the podium at the BUCS Short Course Swimming Championships at Ponds Forge in Sheffield earlier this month.

The 19 year old Plymouth University student took the 200m butterfly title in Sheffield in a time of 2.06.47. Laura also celebrated a podium finish in the 100m fly - taking bronze behind Tain Bruce from Edinburgh and Charlotte Atkinson.

PL's Edoardo Valsecchi took the #bluearmy's second bronze in the 100m fly and narrowly missed out on a medal in the 50m butterfly - finishing 4th.

Another of PL's rising stars Adam Chillingworth claimed bronze in a strong men’s 200m breaststroke final. Commonwealth champion and European silver medallist James Wilby took the title ahead of another Team GB swimmer Craig Benson with  Chillingworth third.

Head coach Robin Armayan is delighted with the athletes' performance.  "The swimmers were outstanding considering the tough training cycle they went through before the competition," he said.

"In spite of the physical and mental fatigue, the PL athletes were able to perform with high level of skills and long term process in mind. It is a great boost for their confidence, it has increased their level of resilience and it was a great learning experience leading to the English Winter National Championships in December".