WILL Gearey and Rebecca Redfern starred as five Worcester competitors tackled the British Swimming Summer Championships at Sheffield's Ponds Forge.

Gearey bagged a bronze medal as did Paralympian Redfern who also secured the qualification time for the world championships in Mexico.

The top 24 British swimmers across the different age groups competed.

In his second British championship in the boys' 13 to 14 year age group Gearey qualified for five events.

The teenager's medal was in his final event of the 50-metre butterfly despite arriving as 19th seed.

With an outside lane draw in the heats Gearey clocked 27.24 seconds to go into the final ranked third.

With a good lane draw he held onto third place in the final in 27.01 for bronze.

The young talent swam the 100m freestyle first and put down a personal best in the heats of 56.11 for 10th spot and a final place.

Gearey produced another PB of 56.03 for sixth position.

In the 50m freestyle heats he swam a PB of 25.48 to make the final as fifth seed.

Gearey then went quicker with 25.40 for a credible seventh.

In the 100m butterfly and 200m freestyle Gearey was disappointed not to produce PBs but came close to his entry times with one minute 2.56 seconds and 2.05.75 respectively.

Olivia Fletcher made her championship debut, qualifying for five events in the girls' 15 year age group.

Fletcher swam 34.29 to be ranked sixth for the 50m breaststroke final and she kept that position with another PB of 34.14.

In the 200m individual medley Fletcher finished well in 2.26.87 which was just outside her entry time to be second reserve in 12th place for the final.

Fletcher also secured a top-15 finish in the 200m freestyle with 2.10.36 and top-20 places in the 100m backstroke with 1.07.37 and 100m freestyle with 59.92.

Redfern chased a time of 1.16.99 in the S13 100m breaststroke to book her place with Team GB at the world championships next month.

In the heats she clocked 1.19.02 to reach the final.

Redfern then found another gear to smash a season’s best time of 1.16.47 for the multi-classification bronze medal and qualification for Mexico.

Worcester's experienced club captain Lucy Clayton did her favoured 50m breaststroke in the girls' 17 to 18 year age group.

She produced 34.25 for a top-15 finish.

Matt Redfern challenged in three multi-classification events.

Having endured a tough six months after breaking his arm his best performance came in the 100m backstroke.

In the heats he swam 1.07.83 for a final place and then clocked 1.07.76 for ninth.

In the 50m and 100m freestyle he was just outside his entry times, producing 28.08 and 1.02.82 respectively.

Worcester head coach Mark Stowe said: “It is a tremendous achievement for all our swimmers to have qualified for the championships.

"With the best 24 swimmers in the age groups the standard of competition really is second to none and it was great to see them all being so competitive.

"The club are proud of all their achievements and it reflects the commitment to training hard throughout the year.

"To finish the championships with two bronze medals and Rebecca securing her place to Mexico is a fantastic way to end the season.”