SWIM Bournemouth’s chip off the old block Amy Brown took another step in her family’s footsteps with a golden hat-trick at the South West Age Group Championships in Bristol.

The 12-year-old daughter of Andy Brown and niece of Iain, both Ferndown Otters stars in the 1980s, won the 13yrs 50m and 100m breaststroke and 100m backstroke in long-course times of 34.65, 1:16.19 and 1:08.48.

She missed a fourth gold by 0.18sec as she took silver in the 200m backstroke in 2:29.35 and was fourth in the 200m individual medley (IM).

Brown was one of four gold medallists from Dorset, including Tanya Blanchard, who became Wareham and District’s first regional champion for 13 years.

Blanchard, 13, wrote her contribution to her club’s history by winning the 14yrs 50m breaststroke in a club record time of 34.37.

She is the first Wareham swimmer to win gold at regional level since Hannah Blakeley (now Poole masters swimmer Hannah Wiltshire) collected three gold medals in 2004, when she was 17.

One of her wins was also in the 50m breaststroke.

Wareham coach Jeff Sandley said: “It was an incredible result for Tanya – an awesome performance that ranks her fourth nationally [in her age group]. Qualification for the nationals this summer would be great.”

Ella Chown from Bournemouth Collegiate School (BCS) won a medal of each colour in the 14yrs events.

Gold came in the 100m butterfly in 1:04.91, silver in the 200m fly in 2:26.81 and bronze in the 200m IM (2:26.34).

She was also sixth in the 100m freestyle.

BCS team-mate Alex Palotai-Avella also won gold as she took the 13yrs 400m freestyle title in 4:40.52.

Swim Bournemouth’s Drew McGregor added a silver and a bronze to Brown’s tally as he came second in the 14yrs 200m breaststroke (2:40.04) and third in the 50m breaststroke (33.81).

Ryan Openshaw flew the podium flag for Poole with his bronze medal in the 12yrs 100m backstroke.

He was also fifth, sixth and seventh respectively in the 200m and 400m freestyle and 50m backstroke while in the same age group team-mate Findley Chandler was sixth in 100m back and 200m freestyle and seventh in the 50m back and 400m free.

Poole’s Robbie Hemmings had a sixth and two sevenths in the 13yrs category while club-mate Molly Goddard was sixth in the 11-12yrs 400m freestyle.

Poole swimmers improved their PBs in 84 per cent of their races.

Four Seagulls swimmers made finals – Miles Ward with three 14yrs sixth places, Lawrence Elliott with two sixths and a seventh in the 11-12 age group, Isaac Ellis with sixth in the 13yrs 50m butterfly and Sam Small with seventh in the 50m freestyle.

Other BCS finalists were Claudia Ashford in the 13yrs 100m and 200m backstroke, Emily Jones (11-12yrs 50m breaststroke) and Joshua Wickens (14yrs 200m butterfly).

Swim Bournemouth’s Alan Szczasiuk was fourth and fifth in the 13yrs 50m breaststroke and freestyle while team-mate Milo Treloar came sixth in the 400m freestyle in the same age group.