Bishop’s Stortford Swimming Club has enjoyed another major step forward on the national stage, increasing its number of qualifiers, races, finals and medals at the country’s leading summer championships.
The performances came at the highest levels of domestic age-group swimming, with BSSC athletes competing against many of Britain’s best at the Aquatics GB Next Gen Championships and among England’s leading swimmers at the Swim England National Summer Meet.
Across the two pool championships and the national open-water events, 14 BSSC swimmers competed, reaching 13 finals and winning five medals – three gold and two silver. In 2025, the equivalent BSSC tally was nine competitors, 11 finals and four medals.
The Aquatics GB Next Gen Championships are Britain’s benchmark end-of-season age-group meet. The Swim England National Summer Meet is Swim England’s premier long-course event. In open water, BSSC swimmers also competed at the National Age Group and National Masters Championships.
Back, left-to-right: Elliot Hall, Dylan Davenport, Benny Palmer, Tom Dean, Kenny Millsom Front, left-to-right: Taras Boiko, Edie Foster, Ella Greatbatch, Rose Conday, Summer Miller
BSSC’s first medals came at the Next Gen Championships at Ponds Forge in Sheffield.
Edie Foster secured silver in the 15-year age group 50m butterfly. She qualified third for the final in 28.99sec before improving to 28.63sec to take second place.
Rose Conday added another silver in the 16-year age group 50m freestyle, qualifying third in 26.66sec before lowering her time to 26.38sec in the final.
There were further top-10 performances, with Summer Miller sixth in the 13/14-year age group 200m butterfly final in 2min 27.06sec, Benny Palmer 10th in the 15-year age group 50m freestyle final in 25.09sec and Conday ninth in the 100m freestyle final in 58.74sec.
Elsewhere, Tom Dean clocked 59.08sec in the 17/18-year age group 100m backstroke, while Ella Greatbatch recorded 35.33sec in the 50m breaststroke.
Attention then turned to the Swim England National Summer Meet, also in Sheffield, where Dylan Davenport produced a sprint double.
The 17-year-old qualified third for the 100m freestyle final in 53.62sec before taking the national title in 52.85sec. He completed his double by winning the 50m freestyle in 24.01sec.
Conday also returned to the top of the podium, qualifying second for the 16-year age group 100m backstroke final in 1min 6.80sec before winning gold in 1min 5.75sec – improving on the silver she won in the same event in 2025.
Miller came close to another medal, finishing fourth in the 13/14-year age group 100m butterfly in 1min 5.95sec, while Taras Boiko reached the 100m backstroke final at his first national championships and finished seventh in 1min 5.41sec.
Laura Burgess also qualified for the 18-and-over 50m freestyle final after finishing fifth in the heats in 27.01sec, while Elliot Hall was 11th in the 16-year age group 100m freestyle and Kenny Millsom 13th in the 13/14-year age group 200m breaststroke.
BSSC’s summer national programme also extended into open water at Rother Valley Country Park. Guy Spearman-Baines competed over 5km and Lizzie Balaam over 7.5km at the National Age Group Championships, while Helen Shingler finished fourth in the 55-59 age group 3km event at the National Masters Championships.
BSSC head coach Jamie McLaughlin praised the swimmers and the wider club team behind their national performances:
“The nationals success is not only a credit to the swimmers for all their training and dedication, but also to the entire coaching team, club volunteers and swim parents who give so many hours to BSSC.”
The national performances followed a string of strong results for BSSC across the 2026 season, including finishing as the top overall club at the Hertfordshire County Championships and winning the top division of the Hertfordshire Peanuts League for the first time in more than 15 years.
McLaughlin said the performances reflected the progress being made across the club:
“The club’s development can be seen throughout all age groups, from Rookies to Masters, as well as in the strong participation levels of swimmers who continue to attend and enjoy training on a regular basis.”
Left to right: Edie Foster and Rose Conday pictured at Ponds Forge Sheffield at the Aquatics GB Next Gen Championships, and Dylan Davenport, pictured at the Swim England National Championships
BSSC Qualifiers
Aquatics GB Next Gen Championships
Rose Conday, 16yrs
200m Free
100m Free
50m Free
Ella Greatbatch, 18yrs
50m Breast
Tom Dean, 16yrs
50m Back
100m Back
Benny Palmer, 15yrs
200m Free
100m Free
50m Free
Edie Foster, 15yrs
50m Fly
100m Free
50m Free
100m Fly
Summer Miller, 13/14yrs
200m Fly
Swim England National Championships
Laura Burgess, 18+ yrs
100m Free
50m Free
Dylan Davenport, 17yrs
100m Free
50m Free
Elliot Hall, 16yrs
100m Free
50m Free
Summer Miller, 13/14yrs
400m IM
100m Fly
100m Free
Taras Boiko, 13/14yrs
200m Fly
100m Fly
100m Back
200m Back
200m IM
400m IM
Kenny Millsom, 13/14yrs
200m Breast
100m Breast
Rose Conday, 16yrs
100m Back
50m Back
Swim England Open Water National Age Group Championships
Guy Spearman-Baines, 14yrs, 5km
Lizzie Balaam, 16yrs, 7.5km
Meisha Trend-Evans, 19yrs+, 7.5km
Swim England Open Water National Masters Championships
Helen Shingler, 55-59 age group, 3km
