Thurrock swimmers make strong start at Essex County Championships

THURROCK Swimming Club sent a large team of more than 50 qualifiers to the opening weekend of the Essex County Championships 2026. The competition took place on the 17th and 18th January at the London Aquatics Centre, the former aquatic venue for the 2012 London Olympics.

Training at Blackshots Leisure Centre in partnership with Impulse Leisure, Thurrock swimmers competed against 30 Essex-based clubs, with Thurrock athletes aged eight to twenty securing County Champion titles and medals across sprint, endurance and relay events.

The following Thurrock swimmers achieved top ten finishes during the opening weekend of the championships:

Adam Thompson (5^th 800m freestyle, 9^th 400m IM), Bogdan Yermakovich (6^th 100m butterfly), Daniel Thompson (3^rd 400m IM, 5^th 200m IM), David Hoara (5^th 400m freestyle, 7^th200IM, 10^th 50m freestyle), Eoghan Bilham (9^th 800m freestyle, 10^th 400m IM), Esme Parkes (3^rd 400m IM), Henry Dean (1^st 100m butterfly), Hollie Goldsmith (9^th 800m freestyle), Iona Parkes (9^th 100m backstroke), Ivan Ijomoni (1^st 100m butterfly, 1^st 400m IM, 2^nd 200m IM, 5^th 50m breaststroke), James McGettigan (1^st 50m breaststroke, 3^rd200m IM), Jeremy Godwin (4^th 50m breaststroke), Jessica Stevens (5^th 200m breaststroke, 6^th 100m freestyle, 7^th 200m IM, 8^th 100m backstroke, 9^th 50m freestyle), Kai Patel (1^st 200m IM, 5^th 50m breaststroke), Kian Parsons (3^rd 100m breaststroke, 6^th 200IM, 9^th 50m freestyle), Lilly Franks (3^rd 800m freestyle, 4^th 400m freestyle, 4^th 200m IM, 5^th200m breaststroke, 6^th 100m freestyle, 7^th 50m backstroke, 7^th 50m breaststroke), Louise Webster (5^th 200m breaststroke, 8^th 200m IM), Patrick Curca (9^th 100m breaststroke), Rebecca Coogan (2^nd 100m freestyle, 3^rd 400m freestyle), Riley Allen (3^rd 50m breaststroke, 4^th 400m IM, 5^th 100m butterfly, 6^th 800m freestyle), Samuel Allen (6^th 400m IM), Teddy Parkes (5^th 400m freestyle), Tobi Olajide (9^th 100m butterfly), Victor Dryankov (4^th 50m freestyle) and Will Minister (7^th 200m IM, 10^th 50m breaststroke).

Other Thurrock swimmers who competed in individual events during the competition are: Aiden Nita, Arianna Tverijonas, Danraj Dhillon, David Caseriu, Elijah Parkes, Emily Georgieva, Evan Cotter, George Church, Isla Cotter, Joanna Godwin, Joel Godwin, Lewis Allen, Manol Stamenov, Molly Garner, Naomi Ijomoni, Nathan Alumanah, Sophie Bilham, Yasen Velev, Yavor Velev and Zachary Chambers.

Thurrock Swimming Club also recorded success in the relay events across junior age groups. Thurrock’s age 11-12 boys relay team achieved gold medals in the freestyle relay, and silver medals in the individual medley relay. All 9-10 year old relay teams also achieved top 10 finishes, with the boys finishing in fourth and fifth place, and the girls placing seventh and tenth overall. The girls’ 11-12 relay team finished just outside the top ten and recorded strong individual split times.

Relay swimmers representing Thurrock were: David Hoara, Kian Parsons, Victor Dryankov, Nathan Alumanah, Zachary Chambers, Iona Parkes, Jessica Stevens, Naomi Ijomoni, Joanna Godwin, Arthur Nicholas, Alfie Abbott, Teddy Wright, Patrick Curca, Olivia Gosu, Sofia Radu, Rose Goldsmith, Eva Jones and Beatrice Olawole.

The Essex County Championships are held across three blocks, with Thurrock swimmers returning to the London Aquatics Centre for the remaining rounds in February and March.