Ackland’s medal joy in champs (From Evesham Journal)

Ackland’s medal joy in champs

12:00pm Saturday 11th August 2012 in Sport

SEDGEBERROW swimmer Harry Ackland has been crowned a triple champion by winning three gold medals at the National Youth Championships in Sheffield.

The 16-year-old won the 15/16-year-old 200-metre and 100m breaststroke competitions as well as swimming the breaststroke leg for the victorious under 18s medley relay team for his club Plymouth Leander.

Ackland, who is about to begin his A-levels at Plymouth College, has put a season of injury and illness behind him to succeed on the national stage.

He was seeded 10th and second in the 200m and 100m respectively but delivered personal best times in the heats, semi-finals and final to claim the medals.

Ackland was the fastest qualifier each time and in the 200m recorded a time of two minutes 21.38 seconds, smashing his season’s best (2.29.61) and pb (2.26.38).