Day 1 – The Championship Begins in Golden Style
The Aquatics GB Next Gen Championships got underway in spectacular fashion for City of Leeds, with the distance swimmers setting the tone for what would become an unforgettable week.
Will Wilson produced a sensational swim in the 16 Years 1500m Freestyle, storming to the British title while also breaking the longstanding City of Leeds club record. It was the perfect start to the championships and a fitting reward for his outstanding performance.
There were also excellent swims from the rest of the distance squad, with Jeffrey and Oscar both finishing 11th, Joe claiming an impressive 7th place, and Leo placing 17th. It was an encouraging opening day that showcased the strength and depth of the Leeds programme.
Day 2 – More Champions, More Podiums
The momentum continued on day two as the Sharks added another British title and two more podium finishes.
Dan R dominated the 17/18 Years 400m Individual Medley to become British Champion, breaking his own City of Leeds club record in the process. Emily E-H delivered a superb swim to take silver in the 13/14 Years 200m Freestyle, while Malaika A-B powered to gold in the 15 Years 200m Freestyle.
Elsewhere, Leo I narrowly missed the podium with an excellent fourth-place finish in the 13/14 Years 400m IM, Will W finished sixth in the 16 Years 400m IM, and Matilda P reached another championship final in the 17/18 Years 200m Freestyle.
By the end of the second day, City of Leeds had already established themselves as one of the leading clubs in Britain.
Day 3 – Three More British Champions
Day three proved to be one of the standout days of the entire championships as the Sharks added three more national titles.
Will W claimed his second gold medal of the week by winning the 16 Years 800m Freestyle, while Emily E-H and Malaika A-B both became British Champions in their respective 200m Individual Medley events.
There were strong performances throughout the finals, with Tom W finishing ninth in the 17/18 Years 200m Butterfly, Leo L placing fourth in the 13/14 Years 200m Butterfly, Matilda P finishing eighth in the 17/18 Years 200m Individual Medley, and Grace O proudly representing the club with a Bronze in the 13/14 Years 100m Breaststroke.
As more swimmers arrived to join the team, the atmosphere around the pool reached another level. The sea of yellow in the stands created an incredible environment, with teammates supporting every race and celebrating every success together. The Sharks weren’t just winning medals—they were showing exactly what being part of City of Leeds is all about.
Day 4 – Relay Success and Shark Spirit
The fourth day brought another gold medal, more finals and the start of the relay programme.
Emily E-H added another British title by winning the 13/14 Years 400m Freestyle, while Joe H, Will W, Beth W and Issy H all secured top-ten finishes in highly competitive finals.
The relays provided some of the biggest highlights of the day. The girls’ 14–16 Years 4×100m Freestyle Relay finished just outside the medals in fourth place, while Connor M, Patrick O, Hayden L and Will W produced a superb performance to win bronze in the boys’ 14–16 Years 4×200m Freestyle Relay.
Off the pool deck, the incredible support from teammates, coaches and families continued to create one of the best atmospheres of the championships.
Day 5 – History Made
Day five belonged to Dan R.
Already a British Champion earlier in the week, Dan produced one of the performances of the championships to win the 17/18 Years 200m Breaststroke in a new City of Leeds club record of 2:13.93.
The achievement was made even more remarkable by the history behind it—the previous club record had stood since 1987 and was held by Olympic champion Adrian Moorhouse. Rewriting a record that had lasted nearly four decades was a truly extraordinary accomplishment.
The medals continued to flow throughout the evening. Malaika A-B claimed silver in the 15 Years 200m Butterfly, Emily E-H earned another silver in the 13/14 Years 200m Butterfly, and Grace O secured bronze in the 13/14 Years 200m Breaststroke. Harrison W also recorded a top-ten finish in the same event.
The girls’ 14–16 Years 4×200m Freestyle Relay rounded off another memorable day by winning silver, while the support from the Sharks in the stands remained as strong as ever.
Day 6 – Two More British Titles
With the finish line approaching, City of Leeds showed no signs of slowing down.
Issy H became British Champion in the 15 Years 800m Freestyle, while Emily E-H collected yet another national title by winning the 13/14 Years 400m Individual Medley.
Grace O narrowly missed the podium with fourth in the same event, Emily E-H added fifth in the 800m Freestyle, Malaika A-B finished seventh in the 100m Freestyle and Milly T claimed a top-ten finish in the 17/18 Years 400m Individual Medley.
Another day of finals, medals and personal bests left the Sharks perfectly placed heading into the final day.
Day 7 – The Perfect Finish
The championships concluded in fitting fashion as Dan R added one final British title, winning the 17/18 Years 200m Individual Medley to complete an exceptional week.
Leo I also reached another national final, finishing sixth in the 13/14 Years 200m Individual Medley, while the girls’ 14–16 Years 4×100m Medley Relay rounded off the competition with a tenth-place finish.
As the final races came to an end, the scale of the Sharks’ achievements became clear.
City of Leeds finished 4th overall in the Aquatics GB Next Gen Championships medal table, behind only Loughborough University, Repton and Mount Kelly—an outstanding achievement on the national stage.
Across seven days of competition, the team amassed an incredible 20 medals, including 12 gold, 5 silver and 3 bronze, alongside countless finals appearances, personal bests and club records.
Beyond the medals, the championships showcased everything that makes City of Leeds special: relentless hard work, commitment, resilience and a genuine team spirit. From the swimmers and coaches to the team managers and families, everyone played their part in an unforgettable week.
Special congratulations also went to Jamie, who was deservedly recognised as Coach of the Day, reflecting the outstanding work of the coaching team throughout the championships.
The Sharks now turn their attention to the National Open Water Championships, the Swim England National Summer Meet and the Commonwealth Youth Games, where current and former Leeds swimmers will continue to represent their club and country with pride.
Final Championship Summary
- Overall Position: 4th in Great Britain
- Gold Medals: 12
- Silver Medals: 5
- Bronze Medals: 3
- Total Medals: 20
What a week. What a team. Once a Shark, always a Shark.