The youngsters from Barnet Copthall Swimming Club were runners-up behind hosts Romford in the second round of the M11 Junior Speedo League.

Copthall easily scored the most wins 17, with five second places in the 43 events, and they can't wait for the final round on May 31.

The girls born in 1987 were outstanding, winning all four individual races. Jasmine Lloyd took the butterfly; Charlotte Lawrence, the backstroke; Rosemary Prentice,the breaststroke and Shelley Bullen the freestyle, with the freestyle and medley relay teams also successful.

Emily Harris, also born in 1987, won her backstroke race against 12-year-olds.

The 12-year-old boys and girls also won their freestyle and medley relays, dominating the age group.

Winners of the U9 freestyle relay through Tobias Stedman, Robert Lee, Jonathan Weights and Jack Hardy, Barnet just missed out on the double when runners-up in the medley event.

The mixed relay team of 1989 boys and girls (Weights, Hardy, Joanna Mair and Sophia Roberts) added to the success of this age group edging out Griffins by a hair's breadth.

Richard Dodds (11) won his butterfly race by ten seconds, but was disqualified after winning the backstroke.

Middlesex freestyle champion Sarah Shaw (12) won her race coomfortably, as did Aiden Dunne (12) in the same stroke.

There were significant improvements in best times by the majority of Barnet swimmers with Jasmine Lloyd (11) producing the fastest butterfly split ever recorded at that age within the club.

Kirstie O'Connor (9) swimming in her first race for the team, made a dream start by achieving the fastest split of the four-girl relay team.

Another newcomer, 10-year-old Joe Morris did an excellent relay time which belied his experience in competition.

Barnet produced a late flourish with four consecutive wins, the last of which was the eight by one-length mixed relay team with one boy and one girl from ech group.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000.Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.