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Plymouth Keeps Club Crown As Ruta Rules

Apr 23, 2012  - Craig Lord

For the fourth time in five years, Plymouth Leander Swimming emerged from a weekend battle in Sheffield club champions of England & Wales.

At the 43rd National Arena League Final, the club kept Hatfield at bay by 50 points for the crown, its swimmers setting eight meet records in the bargain, Lithuanian Ruta Meilutyte, in the world top 10 this year over 100m breaststroke with a 1:07.30 effort at the Olympic test event in London last month, playing a part in four of those marks, while also winning her the top prize in her age-group and the Top Overall Athlete prize.

The record setters: 

  • Antony James  Open 100m Butterfly 53.24
  • Jack Smith  15 years 100m Freestyle 52.91
  • Ruta Meilutyte  15 years 100m Freestyle 56.06
  • Open 300m Freestyle Relay Antony James, Joe Patching, Aaron Rickhuss, James Burden, James Young, Ben Proud
  • 11 years 200m Freestyle Relay Tegan Drew, Hannah Chatfield, Emma De Jager, Emma England
  • 15 years 200m Medley Relay Grace Vertigans, Jade Scott, Lara Cosford, Ruta Meilutyte
  • Open 200m Medley Relay Rebecca Pye, Ruta Meilutyte, Sian Harkin, Emma Wilkins
  • Open 300m Freestyle Relay Emma Wilkins, Stephanie Bremner, Sian Harkin, Grace Vertigans, Laura Vertigans, Ruta Meilutyte

Of the eight Top Athlete Awards across the age groups and overall, Plymouth took five: Tegan Drew, Dani Baker and Jack Smith won one a piece, Meilutyte taking two of her own.

Final Scores

  • 1 Plymouth Leander 392
  • 2 Hatfield 344
  • 3 City of Sheffield 338
  • 4 City of Leeds 331
  • 5 Guildford City 286
  • 6 Millfield School 252
  • 7 City of Salford 236
  • 8 City of Derby 212
  • 8 City of Liverpool 212
  • 10 City of Peterborough 143

Plymouth Leander runs a successful scholarship programme with Plymouth College for swimmers aged 11 to 18 and boasts an international line-up of talent. 

You can read more about the programme run by coach Jon Rudd at the college website.