The competition season is building to its most exciting finale yet β and Barking & Dagenham Aquatics Club couldn’t be prouder. After a season of dedication, early mornings, and hard-earned qualifying times at the Counties and Regionals, three of our swimmers have secured their places at the National Championships, with a fourth set to fly the flag for Para swimming on the biggest stage in the Commonwealth.
Three Swimmers, Two Nationals
This year’s qualification journey has delivered three standout achievements, with our athletes heading to both the Scottish and English National Championships.
Mia Newman has qualified for the Scottish National Championships (9th-12th July, Aberdeen), where she will compete across an impressive range of events: the 100m Freestyle, 100m and 200m Butterfly, and the 200m and 400m Individual Medley. The breadth of Mia’s programme is a real testament to her versatility and the extraordinary level of fitness and skill she has developed this season.
Meanwhile, Tonis Klova and Aiden Doorbeejan will be representing the club at the English National Championships (27th Jul-1st Aug, Sheffield). Tonis has qualified in the 100m and 200m Backstroke, while Aiden will compete in the 100m and 200m Breaststroke. Both swimmers have worked tirelessly to hit the qualifying standards, and seeing them both selected is a wonderful reward for that commitment.
The Road to the Start Line
All three athletes are now deep in their preparation, putting in extra training sessions in the lead-up to competition. There’s a real buzz around the club as they sharpen their race fitness and fine-tune their technique ahead of what will be the biggest meets of their seasons.
Mia has an additional milestone on the horizon before she heads to Scotland, competing at the Maltese Summer Nationals at the end of June, giving her valuable race experience and a final opportunity to race at pace ahead of her Scottish campaign. We’ll be watching closely and cheering her on from across the water.
A Commonwealth Stage: Brock Whiston
We are also delighted to share that Brock Whiston has been selected to represent England’s Para swimmers in Glasgow at the Commonwealth Games in July. Brock is an accomplished Paralympic swimmer who has already collected numerous medals throughout her career, and her continued presence on the international stage is something the whole club takes great pride in. We look forward to supporting her as she competes at what will be another landmark event in an already remarkable swimming journey.
Proud to Be B+D Aquatics
Moments like these are a reminder of what our club is all about β supporting swimmers at every level to reach their potential and celebrating their progress together as a community. We wish Mia, Tonis, Aiden, and Brock all the best as they head into this final stretch of the season.
We’ll be sharing updates and results as the competitions unfold, so do keep an eye on our website and social channels.
Go B+D Aquatics! π