YOUNG Vale swimmer Tazmin Pugh has been going from strength to strength in the pool.

The Pershore 14-year-old is in the West Midlands team for an international meet in Luxembourg next month with Evesham’s Chloe Golding.

The girls, who compete for Shropshire’s Ellesmere College Titans, both impressed at last year’s National Age Group and Youth Championships.

Pugh has already been selected for the England talent camps for the fourth year running, progressing on to the final one this month.

For Titans, she shone at the National County Team Championships in Sheffield with victory in the 14 to 15 years 100-metre butterfly in one minute 2.43 seconds.

Golding won the 16 to 17 years 100m backstroke in 1.01.72 and recorded 1.05.58 for eighth in the 100m butterfly.

They were among the fastest in their age groups, with Pugh improving her lead at the top of the United Kingdom end-of-year rankings in the 100m butterfly and Golding, 16, sitting second in the 100m backstroke.

Pugh helped Titans win rounds one and two in the strong Northwest Arena Premier League before they came second in the area finals to Stockport Metro.

She set personal best times in the 15 and under 100m backstroke in 1.02.63 and the 15 and under 100m butterfly in 1.02.10.

Fellow Vale swimmers Tyler McLean and Harry Bamforth also registered PBs for Titans.

Pugh also made the top three in the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Sports Awards junior female section for the third time after winning the title in 2011.

Back in the pool at Stafford’s short-course open meeting, Pugh was the top 14-year-old girl after winning six gold medals.

Her 200m butterfly PB of 2.15.80 was the third fastest time officially recorded in Great Britain for a girl in her age group, while her 2.13.67 in the 200m backstroke was the sixth best.

At Derventio eXcell’s level one long-course open meeting in Sheffield, Pugh closed in on several qualifying times for the inaugural European Games in Azerbaijan in the 100m and 200m butterfly events with wins in 1.02.42 and 2.17.03 respectively.

She was the top girl with nine gold medals, six PBs and 15 club records.

Pugh topped the UK rankings in the 800m freestyle with a time of 8.59.94 to become the 13th fastest 14-year-old female swimmer of all time for the nation.

She also set the second fastest time ever in the 50m butterfly with 28.29.

Once the county championships have finished in February, Pugh will tackle April’s British Championships and trials aiming for selection to forthcoming international events.

She leads the UK long-course rankings in the 400m and 800m freestyle, 50m, 100m and 200m butterfly and 200m and 400m individual medley.

In the short-course rankings, she is in the top five in six events.

Golding is in the top five in three long-course events and two short-course.