Southampton Dolphins Swimming Club have won the Jean Hillman Trophy for the third year running.

The annual event was watched at a packed venue in Fareham by more than 250 supporters. The team of 29 swimmers aged 8-12 swam personal bests to beat strong competition from Hamble Aquatics and Fareham Nomads, achieving a massive 25 first and 11 second places out of the 43 events.

Dolphins got the evening off to a good start in the nine-year-old relays events. Eight-year-olds Ellena Lewis and Rhyseren Taylor impressed while debutante Naomi Eldridge swam a strong backstroke leg in the mixed medley relay, setting the young team up to win the event. Another newcomer, Jasmine Spradbery, put in strong performances, with a notable PB in first leg of the Cannon of 18.92.

The nine-year-old boys also produced a range of PBs between them.

Harvey Maughan produced a PB of 23.25 in his breast-stroke leg of the medley relay.

Jack Sluman, who turned nine just the week before the competition, produced PBs in the freestyle and the backstroke.

Kai Lanham, Zakhos Lekkas and Ethan Grundy also put in strong performances in the boys’ relays, securing top-three places in both events.

There were some strong performances in the ten-year-old boys’ categories.

Oliver Cook won all his individual races with PBs in 50m freestyle (35.21), 50m backstroke (40.81) and 25m fly (18.62).

The relay teams were joined by Callum Cook and Isaac Maddock (both ten) as well as nine-year-olds Kai Lanham and Harvey Maughan to secure second place in both events.

The ten-year-old girls won five of their six events.

There were notable PBs by Kate Baxter in the 50 backstroke (38.74), Fae Thompson in the 50m freestyle (34.66) and Anne Dela Cruz in the 50m breaststroke (49.03).

The girls won both relays, with an exceptional finish by Sophie Hawkes in the medley with a PB of 16.75.

The 11-year-old boys and girls medley relay teams both won.

Despite swimming against older swimmers, ten-year-old Kate Baxter won the 50m backstroke (38.72) and 50m freestyle (33.09).

Neve Day also won in her favourite stroke with a time of 38.07 in the 50m butterfly. The medley relay team was brought home by Robbie Millard with a PB of 15.84 in the final leg, and the freestyle relay team of Baxter, Robbie, Neve and Olivia Reavey all put in exceptional performances, each swimming their leg in under 16.4 seconds.

The 11-year-old boys equalled this performance, with Ben Sluman winning the 50m freestyle (32.21), backstroke (36.71) and butterfly (36.20).

Ben was joined by Evan Harris, Zak Lanham and William Greenacre to win the Medley relay.

Isabella Fraser–Corbridge, 12, won three of her four individual races, knocking two seconds of her previous best times in the 50m backstroke (34.23) and butterfly (34.34).

With the squad only comprising two 12-year-old girls, younger swimmers had to race up an age group in the relays.

However, the team were undaunted, with 12-year-olds Isabella and Jenna Nugent joined by Olivia Reavey (11), Neve Day (11) and Kate Baxter (10) to win the freestyle relay.

In the 12-year-old boys’ category, there were notable performances by Filip Fraczek-Krygier in the 50m freestyle (29.28) and butterfly (33.25).

Seb Southon (also 12) swam a four-second PB to come third in the in 50m breaststroke (44.05). The relay team put in great team performances, with Filip and Seb joined by 11-year-olds Ben Sluman and Evan Harris to win the freestyle.

RESULT: 1st – Soton Dolphins 214, 2nd – Hamble Acquatics 192, 3rd – Fareham Nomads A 176, 4th – Locks Heath 147, 5th – Wildern Waves 81, 6th – Fareham Nomads B 76.