Scarborough Swimming Club's National Success

Kingfishers Swimming Club in Scarborough have achieved outstanding success in recent team and individual events, with an Aquatics GB British Championships qualifier. 

Kingfishers Swimming Club Scarborough is celebrating exceptional achievements in the pool, with recent standout performances across multiple competitions and an historic milestone as one of its swimmers qualifies for the Aquatics GB British Championships at the London Aquatics Centre this month.

Over 30 of Kingfishers’ swim members competed at the Yorkshire Swimming Association Championships, held across three weekends in February at John Charles Centre for Sport in Leeds and Ponds Forge International Sports Centre in Sheffield. The Club faced tough competition from across the Region, but their swimmers rose to the occasion with resilience, determination, and talent securing an impressive 14 top 10 finishes across a wide range of age categories. Most gained new qualifying times for Swim England’s North East Regional Championships (SENERs) - 17 of Kingfishers’ swimmers will take part in these later this month.

The atmosphere at Ponds Forge for the final weekend of the Yorkshire Championships was electric and all coaches were extremely impressed by the improved times and splits achieved by every swimmer. Head Coach Zoe Naylor said she felt “privileged to watch such brilliant swimming,” praising the athletes on their “maturity, focus, and determination.”

Coach Tom Wilkinson echoed the sentiment:

“Every swimmer that took part in these Championships made the club proud. For many, this was their first experience competing at county level.”

The Championships also marked a first for Kingfishers in the Championship’s relay events, with six teams from the Club entering the freestyle and medley relays. The swimmers delivered strong performances, earning top 20 placings with three teams becoming first and second reserves for the finals — a fantastic achievement in their relay debut.

Perhaps the biggest highlight came with Kingfishers’ Eliza Hammond qualifying for the upcoming Aquatics GB British Championships in the 50m backstroke. The Championships run from 15-20 April in London and will be broadcast on BBC iPlayer. Eliza will represent Kingfishers at the London Aquatics Centre on April 17, having previously competed at Swim England’s National Championships for the last few years building on her long swimming career with the Club. She will be poolside alongside athletes such as Olympic Gold GB medalists Matt Richards, Duncan Scott and James Guy who will all be competing for British titles and to earn selection to this Summer’s World Championship teams. Eliza secured her qualification in the 50m backstroke at the Yorkshire Championships, where she also earned a bronze medal in the same event. 

“Eliza’s dedication from a young age is now being rewarded” said Head Coach Zoe Naylor “she is a great role-model for our younger swimmers and an example of what can be achieved with commitment and passion. Everyone at Kingfishers is so proud of Eliza.”

Back at home, almost 60 swimmers from the Club swam at the Spring Splash meet at Scarborough Sports Village on March 29th–30th. A phenomenal 249 new PBs were gained and a staggering 235 medals were brought home, including 100 golds. 13 of Kingfishers’ swimmers were recognised as top performers in their age groups, including Lexie Atkin — earning her first “Top Girl” title since joining the Club in February 2024 — and Zak Prior-Mckie and Charlie Bob Hewitt, who both secured “Top Boy” titles for their respective age groups.

Following this incredible run, Kingfishers’ swimmers have their sights set on further future success having already secured 120 qualifying times for the Yorkshire Swimming Association’s Championships in October 2025 — with seven months still to go.

Kingfishers Swimming Club is a registered charity, run by volunteers. The Club has almost 200 members and continues to grow and welcomes all ages and abilities with a healthy Masters and open water section and sessions for swimmers wanting to improve their fitness sitting alongside the Club’s Performance sessions.