WYRE Forest Swimming Club pair Megan Tinsdale and John McMahon helped Worcestershire to secure promotion to Division One of the British Gas County Team Championships with some strong displays in Sheffield.

Tinsdale, swimming in her favoured freestyle, finished third place in the 14/15 age group in 58.48 seconds.

Mahon was in good form racing in the butterfly to finish fourth in the 12/13 age section in 1.06.06.

Both took part in the 4x50-metre medley relay events for their age groups, with McMahon’s team taking silver while Tinsdale’s came in fifth.

She also competed in the 6x50m open freestyle relay, helping her team to fifth place.

Meanwhile, the club saw new records set in the second round of their championships.

The highlight of the event was a thrilling men’s 100m freestyle final, which saw Jack Rowley emerge triumphant in a nail-biting clash.

After 50m masters swimmer Robbie Smith set the early pace to take the lead but he was overtaken by young guns Calum Tinsdale, who was runner-up in 59.0 and winner Rowley (58.54).

That saw Smith set a time of 59.26 for third place.

Coach Mark Willmott said: “I was lucky enough to watch Robbie compete for the club in the Arena League the previous weekend, so I knew he had it in him to upset the young pretenders.

“It was anyone’s race to the first turn but pushing towards 50m, Robbie was leaving everyone in his wake.”

“Everyone in the crowd was urging him on to victory but youth eventually overturned Smith’s slender lead.”

There were also new records for Ellie Bainbridge, who competes in the nine-year-old age group, in the 100m freestyle (01.20.42), 100m backstroke (1.31.87), 100m butterfly (1.36.28) and 100m breaststroke (1.46.56).

Helena Shackleton was in good form in the 100m backstroke with a new record of 1.15.22 in the 12-year-old age section.

Erica Harris (15/16 Yrs, 100m backstroke, 1.07.28), Lizzie Hall (17-24 yrs 100m freestyle, 1.02.80), Nicola Bainbridge (25 and over 100m freestyle, 1.14.19), Brett Webster (25 and over 100m freestyle 1.00.62), John McMahon (13/14 yrs 100m butterfly, 1.04.63) and James Bainbridge (25 and over 200 indvidual medley, 2.40.28) also set new standards.

Elsewhere, Steven Boyce won a host of medals in a Special Olympics Wales Regional Gala.

He took a silver medal in the 50m freestyle, bronze medals in 50m butterfly and 100m freestyle and was part of the gold medal winning medley relay team.

This gala was the perfect preparation before he swims for Team GB in the Downs Syndrome World Championships in November.