FOUR Worcester Swimming Club youngsters grabbed podium places and two gold medals in the long-distance events at the Worcester County Championships in Redditch.

Matthew Richards, 14, and Will Gearey, 13, won their respective boys’ age groups in the 1,500 metres.

Kai Gooden-Morris secured silver in the 15 year category.

Rebecca Yates, 12, added to the medal tally for Worcester with a silver medal in the girls’ 800m.

Droitwich-based Richards was in excellent form, dominating his race from the start.

At the halfway stage of the gruelling 1,500m, which involves 60 lengths of the pool, Richards looked comfortably in control and up by almost 25m on his nearest age-group rival.

He then continued to push hard in the back 750m before hitting the wall to take the gold in 17 minutes 57.19 seconds and a huge personal best by more than 23 seconds.

Evesham-based Gearey managed to defend the title he had won in 2015 although his time was some way off his personal best.

He took first place in 18.51.01 with a steady race pace, eventually winning by eight seconds.

Gooden-Morris was edged into the silver medal position in his boys’ age group, clocking 18.55.02, which was again just slightly outside his personal best.

In the girls’ 800m event, Yates was competing in her first long-distance county championships but showed no sign of nerves.

Taking it out strong from the gun, Yates powered to the silver medal in 10.44.93, knocking half-a-minute off her previous personal best in the process.

There were other Worcester swimmers producing good performances but finishing just outside the medals in fourth place.

They included Oscar Van Vuren, 17, with 19.14.95 in the boys’ 1,500m and Sophie Pettit, 12, in 11.32.55 and Jennifer Gearey, 14, in 10.11.99 in the girls’ 800m.

Worcester have a record 75 swimmers qualified for this year’s county championships with the shorter distance and sprint competition at Wolverhampton Central Baths over the next two weekends.