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National Championship swimming medal for Thomas Leighton

21/05/2022

A bronze medal win for Thomas at Leeds Championships.

Congratulations to Risedale School pupil Thomas Leighton who recently won a bronze medal at the Swim North East Regional Long Course Championships 2022.

Thomas qualified for 7 events at the championships which took place in the 50m pool at the John Charles Centre for Sport in Leeds over two weekends (23rd-24th April and 7th-8th May).

Thomas qualified for the following events:

  • 50m freestyle
  • 50m butterfly
  • 100m butterfly
  • 50m backstroke
  • 100m backstroke
  • 200m backstroke
  • 200m individual medley

He achieved personal best times in 3 events; the 50m freestyle, 50m backstroke and the 50m butterfly.

He then went on to make the finals in 3 events (50m butterfly, 50m backstroke and 100m backstroke) and eventually won the Bronze medal in the 50m backstroke.

Coach Keith Hall of Richmond Dales Amateur Swimming Club said:

“For the 12-year-old swimmer, this is the highest level of competition that can be achieved. Thomas did extremely well in all of his swims. The whole club and I are extremely proud of how he dealt with the entire event and coming away with a bronze medal was the icing on the cake for him.


“Thomas listened to his coaches and learned from all of his swims and was able to put this knowledge into practice for the finals. He is maturing into a fantastic athlete and has a really bright future in the sport.


“It should be noted that the difference between 3rd place (Bronze) and 2nd place (Silver) was only 1/100th second!!”


Proud Mum Steph Leighton said:

“Thomas blows me away with his swimming talent I am so proud of how hard he works and how far he has come !! Each and every competition Thomas shows us amazing results and excels.”

Thomas said:

“I’m really pleased with my result in the competition and how my swimming is progressing. The harder you work, the easier it gets.”

Head of PE at Risedale, Selina Brierley, said:

“What an amazing achievement for Thomas to swim so many personal bests at the Swim North East Championships 2022. You are a true champion in the making. Keep up the training as it's clearly working. Well done!”