Wigan BEST youth swimmers had a lot to live up to following the fantastic results from the age group swimmers the previous week. Rachel Byrne commenced the week with solid swim in the 19 years and over 200m Medley finishing the heats with a personal best time and second fastest qualifier for the evening finals ahead of Olympian Kerri-Ann Payne. Rachel returned for the finals session on day 1. She started well on the fly and back leg of the race and pushed hard and still in the medals at the final turn into the freestyle, with just fraction of seconds splitting the girls Rachel took a great 5th spot.
Day 2 saw Ellie Bailey in action in her first National Championships in the 15/16 years girls 100m butterfly. Splitting under the 30 second mark for the first time Ellie had a great first 50m she continued to push hard down the second 50m finishing with a personal best of 1:04.93. In the 17/18 year-old 800m Freestyle another Wigan BEST newcomer to the National Championships Phoebe Vaughan had the swim of her life moving up the rankings finishing in an 8.04 second personal best time of 9:12.64. In the 19 year-over 800m Freestyle Rachel Byrne had her second top ten finish taking 8th spot making her the 10th Wigan BEST swimmer to make the finals at this years Championships. On Day 3 Rachel added another final to her tally in the girls 200m Backstroke finishing in 10th spot.
Day 5 and Rachel was back in action in the ladies 400m Individual Medley were again she was in excellent form in the heats finishing in the 3rd fastest place for the evening finals. In the final Rachel went out a little steadier in the butterfly leg and then pushed hard on the backstroke leg turning in 2nd. Next came 100m of breaststroke were she held herself in the medals turning 3rd for the freestyle, it was neck and neck for the full 100m with Rachel just being pushed out of the medals by 0.41 of second finishing in a lifetime best of 4:56.75 but having the consolation of finishing 3rd British girl with the silver going to a Canadian.