MAX Weeks was the fastest 12-year-old in the pool at the South West Sprint Championships in Gloucester – but only by the slimmest margin.

The Seagulls youngster recorded a time of 28.86 to win the 12yrs 50m freestyle by 0.01sec from Kingsbridge’s William Hitchen.

Weeks missed out on a second medal by 0.13sec as he came fourth in the 50m butterfly in 34.14.

He was also 13th in the 50m breaststroke and 100m individual medley in 42.05 and 1:18.00, 14th in the 50m back-stroke (35.79) and sixth overall in the 12yrs Bagcats awards.

  • Ten-year-old Miles Ward was Seagulls’ star at the Dorset Development Meet, where he won eight of his club’s 78 medals. His personal tally at Littledown included gold in the 100, 200 and 400m freestyle, 200m backstroke and 200m IM.

Nine-year-old team-mate Isaac Ellis set a competition best time in his only event, winning the 9yrs 200m IM in 3:06.88.

Claire Williams won the most improved sprinter award after carving nine seconds off her previous best time in the 50m freestyle (36.11).

Team-mates Alfie Gormley and Eve Peckham were the most improved 400m freestylers with respective times of 6:07.38 and 6:01.88 – PBs by 45 and 52 seconds.

Other Seagulls winners: 10yrs Annabelle Donaldson 100m breast; Eve Peckham 100m free. 11yrs Yasmin Bridet 200m IM. 12yrs Joe Noyce 50m fly; Abbie Peckham 100m back, 400m free. 13yrs Amy Mills 50m free; Abigail Richardson 50 & 100m back. 14yrs Abbie Noyce 50m free; Ellen Broadfield 100m breast; Robert Olliffe 200m back; Abigail Wales 50m fly.

15yrs Jasmine Glyde 50 & 200m back, 200m IM. 16-18yrs Ross Broadfield 50 & 100m breast.

  • Clayesmore’s Rebecca Holden won the fastest swim award on day two of the Dorset Development Meet for her 100m freestyle time of 1:03.68. She also won the girls’ backstroke skins.

Josh Wickens won the most improved individual medley swimmer award as he contributed to Swim Bournemouth’s tally of 61 gold, 41 silver and 32 bronze medals.

Poole winners at Littledown included Heidi Taylor in the 50m freestyle, Tiara Cheney in the 200m backstroke and Leo McCrea in the S6 50m freestyle.

In the 11yrs age group, Max Avery won the 100m freestyle and Finlay Webb the 100m breaststroke. Emmeline Ansell won the 12yrs 100m breaststroke for Poole and in the same age group Lloyd Arnold won the boys’ 200m breaststroke, while Ben Sharland took gold in the 13yrs 200m breaststroke.