Congratulations to Kimbolton Sixth Form pupils Charlie D., a Sports Scholar, and Abi D., who both delivered exceptional performances at the National Swimming Championships while representing Bedford Swim Squad.
Competing against the country’s best swimmers, both athletes enjoyed an unforgettable championship, bringing home national titles after a series of outstanding performances.
Charlie was crowned double Welsh National Champion, winning gold in both the 100m Backstroke and 200m Backstroke. Her achievements are even more remarkable given the recent injury challenges she has overcome, having been forced to miss last year’s National Championships while recovering from two hip surgeries in April and July 2024.
Making an inspiring return to elite competition, Charlie swam her fastest time of the season—and her quickest since surgery—to claim gold in the 100m Backstroke with a time of 1:09.11. She then followed this with another brilliant performance to secure the 200m Backstroke title, completing a memorable championship as a double National Champion.
Earlier this year, Charlie also wrote an article about her struggle with injury, highlighting the resilience, determination and dedication she has shown to return to the top level of the sport. Her journey makes these victories all the more special and serves as an inspiration to others.
Abi also enjoyed a sensational championship, successfully defending her title to become English National Champion in the 50m Backstroke for the second consecutive year. She broke the 30-second barrier for the first time during the heats before producing another outstanding swim in the final to take gold. Abi recorded the fastest 50m Backstroke time of the entire competition—not only among her own 16-year-old age group, but also ahead of competitors in the 18-and-over category.
These remarkable results reflect the commitment, perseverance and countless hours of training invested by both swimmers, alongside the expert support of their coaches at Bedford Swim Squad.
We are incredibly proud of Charlie and Abi for their outstanding achievements and for the resilience, determination and sporting excellence they continue to demonstrate.
