With the conclusion of last weekend’s Dunmow Icebreaker Meet in Basildon where 70+ B+D swimmers competed, the qualification period for this year’s Essex Winter Championships has now come to an end.
We’re delighted to share that 34 B+D swimmers have achieved the qualifying times for this year’s championships, giving them the opportunity to compete at the London Aquatics Centre on 17th and 18th October.
Essex Winter Championships are the first Championship Meet of the season. The event is a 25m Short Course meet, traditionally aimed at senior swimmers, but this year we are delighted to see so many of our younger swimmers qualifying too.
For swimmers in our development squads, including Silver, Bronze, Emerald and Future Stars, this is an exciting milestone to look towards in the future. The Essex Winter Championships sit at the first stage of the qualification ladder, giving swimmers something to work towards as they progress through their competitive swimming journey.
Congratulations to our qualifiers
A huge congratulations to everyone who has achieved a qualifying time this year.
Women
Amaya A., Michaiah A., Tiffany A., Katie C., Daniele I., Meda K., Eiliyah K., Evelina K., Aida M., Mia N., Elizabeth S., Daris S., Mia T., Miriam V. and Brock W.
Men
Domantas A., Rares B., Dillan C., Aiden D., Daniel G., Artemijs G., Timothy I., David K., Nojus K., Murtaza K., Tonis K., Nojus L., Radu M., Vladislavs P., Klement P., Alex S., Kevinas S., Alex T. and Daniel T.
Congratulations to you all!
A fantastic increase in qualifiers
This year’s 34 qualifiers represent a fantastic increase for B+D. In 2024, we had just 5 swimmers qualify for Essex Winters. That increased to 20 swimmers in 2025, and now to 34 in 2026.
That continued growth is fantastic to see and something we can all be very proud of. It reflects the hard work our swimmers are putting into their training, the support from our coaching team and the commitment of our families throughout the season.
Going all out in the relays
Following our successes in the Arena League in 2025 and at the Essex County Championships earlier this year, we’re going all out in the relays at Essex Winters.
It has been a long-term ambition to give as many of our athletes as possible the opportunity to perform on a higher stage, and we’re planning on taking a strong relay contingent to this year’s championships.
Looking ahead
For those not heading to Essex Winters this time, there is still plenty to aim for. The Essex County Championships 2027 qualification period remains open until 19 December, with several more opportunities to race and achieve qualifying times.
Find out more about the road to Essex County Championships here.
With a full calendar of competitions through the rest of the year, there are plenty of opportunities for swimmers across the club to race, gain experience and keep progressing.
Well done to every swimmer who competed at the Dunmow Icebreaker and throughout the qualification period. Whether you’ve qualified this year or are working towards your first championship meet, every race is another step in your swimming journey.
We’ll see you at LAC! 🏊♀️🏊♂️