Dan's stroke of genius!

Training alongside double-Olympic gold medalist Rebecca Adlington is proving to be inspirational for fellow Mansfield swimmer, Daniel Mills

Dan was part of the Mansfield/Nova Swim Squad in action over the weekend of 2 and 3 May 2009, at the Midland Youth Championships held at the Coventry International Pool

Dan Mills enjoyed a successful championships

He put together a string of superb performances, winning four medals over the two days - Gold in the 17yrs and over 200m, 400m and 800m Freestyle, plus a bronze in the 100m event. His showing in the 800m Freestyle won him the award for the top male performance of the championships. Mansfield lad Dan, who does the majority of his training with Rebecca Adlington in Nottingham nowadays, will now switch his attention to the European Junior Championships in Prague later this summer, where he will compete for Great Britain in the 1500m and 800m Freestyle.

Amelia Taylor also enjoyed a good weekend taking the Gold Medal in the Girls 14/15yrs 50m Backstroke and winning bronze medals in the 50m Freestyle and 400m Freestyle in the same age group. Alice Thomas took the gold in the Girls 16yr/over 100m Breaststroke and a Silver in 200m event, whilst Katie Gillies took silver in the Girls 14/15yrs 200m Breaststroke. To complete the Mansfield medal haul, Alex Nightingale took a Bronze medal in the 16/17yrs 800m Freestyle.

The squad had another 13 other finalists, who were:

Katie Gillies 14/15yrs 100m Breast stroke 5^th
Kelly Ramsdale 14/15yrs 50m Backstroke 5^th& 8^th 200m Backstroke
Amelia Taylor 14/15yrs 100m Freestyle 4^th & 100m Backstroke 5^th & 200m Backstroke 5^th
Rachael Selby 14/15yrs 400m Freestyle 6^th & 800m Freestyle 8^th
Alice Thomas 16/17 50m Breaststroke 4^th & 200m Ind Medley 7^th
Hannah Scotney 16/17 200m Backstroke 8^th
Alex Nightingale 16/17 400m Freestyle 5^th
Elliot Dudley 15/16yrs 200m Butterfly

Meanwhile the Squad's Paralympic Champion Sam Hynd has returned home from 3 and half weeks training at altitude in Seria Navada Spain, and will now be concentrating on making the European Championship Team at the DSE Long Course Championships which take place over the weekend of 16/17 May 2009, at the Ponds Forge International Pool Sheffield.