Aylesbury Vale swimming club looking forward to a great new year

As the swimmers of Maxwell Swim Club enjoy a well-deserved festive break, the club, which trains in Aylesbury and Buckingham, is looking forward to a great year in 2022.

One of its swimmers, Poppy Baybutt, has qualified for the Commonwealth Games selection trials and the club is hoping for further qualifiers prior to the trials

Over the last few weeks, Maxwell, which trains at Aqua Vale Swimming and Fitness Centre and Stowe School, has seen some exceptional performances.

In November, the Short Course Regional Championships saw the club take two open medals and three junior medals, the most it has achieved in many years, with a further four swimmers making their first Winter National Qualifying qualifying times at the same meet.

Eight of the club's swimmers attended Short Course Nationals in December. For many of them, due to Covid, this was their first national event.

Poppy Baybutt, Kenji McDade, Sam Pyefinch, Charlie Toms, Jake Chesworth, Imogen Walton, Hollie Whaymand and Rowan Cyster all made either season’s best swims, PB’s or swam within PB.

December also saw an exceptional performance from Amanda Readhead, who has MS, swimming at the Swim Wales National Para Championships and claiming four South East Regional records with podium finishes.

Club secretary Paul Baybutt said: "This is a great testament to an individual who was diagnosed with a life-changing disability and has got in the pool and worked hard to achieve.

"An incredible achievement and a testament to the work with her coaches Bill Edgar and Sophie Cairnie who have supported her."

Maxwell also excelled as a team, being crowned winners of the Division 2 London National Swimming Arena League, finishing by a huge margin of 440 points ahead of second place.

This sees Maxwell promoted in their first season in the London league.

When the club returns after the holidays, it will be competing at the 2022 Oxford and North Bucks County Championships.

Maxwell have achieved a record of accepted swims with a total of 68 swimmers and 456 swims, and the club thinks it has a very strong chance of retaining the top junior club award previously won in 2020.

Team captains for 2022 will be Kenji McDade, Sam Drew, Sam Pyefinch, Poppy Baybutt, Amelie Bissett and Imogen Walton, all of whom are longstanding members of the club.

They will be on hand to assist and help where they can with younger swimmers at meets, mentor younger squad swimmers and generally be a good example for the younger swimmers.