News Round-up

• Four former British servicemen have become the first team of amputees to complete an English Channel relay swim. The quartet of Stephen White, Jamie Gillespie, Conrad Thorpe and Craig Howorth – all one-leg amputees – completed the 21-mile crossing in 12hr 14min. In doing so, they raised almost £3,300 for Blesma, the British Limbless Ex-Service Men’s Association, which helps other injured service personnel living with limb loss.
• Scores of disabled young people turned out to sample the London Aquatics Centre’s world class facilities during National Paralympic Day – and some could go on to be the Paralympic stars of the future. One youngster has already been identified as someone who should be fast-tracked on to the ASA’s disability talent programme. Others are being advised on clubs they may wish to join and how to move forward in the sport. Twenty disabled young people took part in a fun-filled Sports Fest Talent ID session – just one of three strands of activity during the day-long event at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
• Lois Toulson split the Chinese divers to top a three-medal haul for Great Britain at the World Junior Diving Championships in Penza, Russia. Just two weeks before her 15th birthday, the City of Leeds diver moved from seventh to second with her final dive, which scored 73 points for a total of 352.90 in the B group platform. She pipped the second Chinese to the bronze by 1.85. Song Anxin of China took the gold with 394.10. In the same session, James Heatly and Sam Thornton won bronze in the boys’ A and B 3m synchro, despite an ankle injury sustained by Thornton just before the competition. They scored 305.88, missing silver by 1.92 points.

For more news you can click here to purchase the November 2014 issue of Swimming Times.