BOURNEMOUTH Dolphins’ Danielle Francis marked her 19th birthday this week much as she celebrated her 18th – with a Dorset record and a brace of gold medals at the South West Youth Championships.

Francis, who was 19 on Tuesday, led an East Dorset one-two in the 16/o 800m freestyle as she took gold in 9:07.92 from Ferndown Otter Zoe Watson’s silver in 9:13.77 But it was in the 1500m freestyle that she had the greatest cause to celebrate.

Her winning time 17:28.26 not only secured a successful defence of her regional title but knocked over two seconds off the Dorset senior record she set in the same Millfield pool earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Watson completed a hat-trick of second places with silver-winning swims in the 400m freestyle and, most impressively, in the 200m freestyle in which she lowered her best time by two seconds to 2:04.9.

This puts her well up in the national rankings and was achieved in her first swim in a Speedo LZR Racer suit.

“It was the first time she has worn it and it did make a difference,” said Tony Watson, her coach as well as her dad.

She was also fifth in the 100m freestyle in 1:00.03.

Dolphins’ Martin Littlefair won the boys’ 400m and 800m freestyle titles as he added to his list of national qualifying times.

He won gold in the 15-16yrs 800m freestyle in 8:58.04 and bronze in the 100m freestyle in 53.99, just ahead of Ferndown’s Craig Freeman (54.02).

Freeman himself took bronze in the 200m freestyle in 1:57.27 and another fourth place in the 100m butterfly in 59.57 and sixth in the 50m freestyle (25.23).

Ferndown’s national age and youth champions Naomi Vides and Fran Hughes were again in the medals in the breaststroke.

Vides took silver in the 14-15 50m, 100m and 200m (34.36, 1:14.53 and 2:42.41) while Hughes was second in the 16/o events (1:15.52 and 2:41.66).

Hughes also claimed bronze in the 200m medley in 2:27.69.

Their former team-mate Deb Cure, now with Dolphins, was eight in the 14-15yrs 100m in 1:15.52.

Dolphins’ Lottie McRae doubled her programme for the nationals with qualifying times in the 14-15yrs 100 and 200m butterfly (1:08.00 and 2:26.83) and also took silver in the longer event despite being the youngest competitor – she was 14 last month.

She also picked up a bronze in the 400m medley (5:16.13).

Will Harrison’s bronze-winning times in the 17/o 50m freestyle (24.34) and butterfly (26.20) qualified even for the ASA Championships in July.

Jasmine McCormack took bronze in the 16/o 200m freestyle and 100m backstroke in 2:07.70 and 1:07.92 as she added both events to her national times.

“We targeted seven national times and hit all our targets,” said Dolphins’ head coach Graham Bassi.

Ferndown’s Cathy Close was another silver medallist in the 16/o 200m backstroke (2:23.33).

She was also fifth in the 100m back in 1:09.10.

Team-mate Ben Fellows improved his best times to reach the men’s 50m and 200m backstroke finals, coming fifth and seventh in 30.02 and 2:21.31.

Ferndown’s Fiona Hardie reached a string of finals in the 14-15 age group, placing fourth in the 50m freestyle (28.58), sixth in the 100m freestyle (1:02.42), seventh in the 100m butterfly (1:09.69) and eighth in the 200m medley (2:33.03).

Team-mate Luke Raggett made the 15-16yrs 200m butterfly final, finishing eighth in 2:23.24.

  • Bournemouth Dolphins’ 10-year-old Tom Kingham became a national champion when he made his debut at the IAPS prep school championships at Crawley, Sussex.

The youngster, representing Durlston Court School at New Milton, won the 10/u 25m freestyle in 14.24.