THE road to Street was paved with gold for Poole and Swim Bournemouth swimmers, who won more than 60 medals between them at the Taunton Deane and Millfield Super Series Meet.

Some 28 of the medals were gold and five of those went to Poole’s in-form flier Robbie Hemmings, who used all four strokes to win them.

The 12-year-old showed his versatility by winning the 50m and 400m freestyle, 50m butterfly, 50m breaststroke and 100m backstroke.

Hemming’s rapid butterfly time of 32.10s also broke the 12yrs club record.

Team-mate Thea O’Keefe dominated the 15yrs freestyle events, winning gold in the 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m, silver in the 50m and a second silver in the 200m backstroke.

Emily Clarke, 18, won medals in all seven of her events – gold in the 400m and 800m freestyle and 50m butterfly, silver in the 50m and 100m freestyle and bronze in the 100m butterfly and 200m freestyle.

Jasmine Holmes, 17, won gold in the 100m and 200m freestyle and silver in the 400m.

Jess Richens and Issy Hepburn both struck gold twice for Swim Bournemouth.

Richens won the 16yrs 200m and 400m individual medley and came a highly-respectable second in the 200m freestyle.

Hepburn slashed 24 seconds off her previous best time to win the 13yrs 400m IM and added a second gold in the 200m breaststroke.

Abby Manns won gold in the 200m and also picked up bronze in the 50m breaststroke while Morgan Long was first in 50m breaststroke and third in the 50m freestyle Gold also went to Swim Bournemouth’s Callum McGregor (200m fly), Kelvin Wong (100m breaststroke), Oli Fairman and Henry Stanbrook (both 100m backstroke) and silver to Drew McGregor (200m IM).

Other Poole medallists: Teagan-Mae Graham (one gold, two bronze), Matt Collins (one gold, two silver, one bronze), Lloyd Arnold (one gold, one silver) and Jasmine McCrea (one gold, two silver), Jacob Peters (two silver), Madison Kemp (one silver), Ryan Openshaw (one silver), Ben Porter (one silver), Leonie Wiehle (one silver), Allanah Smithson (one bronze), Kieran Duffy (one bronze), Jamie Holmes (two bronze), Aimee Quarrie (one bronze).

Swim Bournemouth earned the impressive honour of top club at the Dorset Graded Meet in Dorchester, where the club’s talented 10-year-old Rupert Jones was also named top boy in the 10yrs age group.

Poole’s Mae Phillips and Oliver Gibbs won the 9yrs top girl and 11yrs top boy awards, respectively, while Seagulls’ Seraphina Beacham claimed the 10yrs top girl title.

North Dorset Turbos’ Leon Mowlem won awards for both the top 12-year-old boy and the day’s fastest male swim.

Meanwhile, Poole head coach Barry Alldrick is today due to jet across the continent to Italy after receiving his maiden call to the international set-up.

Alldrick will be one of a group of coaches with a 50-strong England youth team set to take on the considerable talents of Italy, Germany and a combined Russian-Ukrainian team in Ligano.

Poole’s head coach was honoured to be chosen and revealed how the experience would serve him well.

Alldrick said: “It’s a privilege to be selected and a great opportunity to strengthen my knowledge and experience and bring it back to the club and county.”

  • See today's Daily Echo for a picture of seven of Swim Bournemouth's medallists from the Taunton Deane and Millfield Super Series Meet.