Golden Week for RTW Monson at British Championships

RTW Monson delivered an exceptional week of swimming at the Aquatics GB Swimming Championships last week, producing a string of standout performances against the nation’s best and firmly placing the club in the spotlight as selections loom for the European Championships in Paris, the Junior European Championships in Munich, and the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. 

Across six days of intense racing, the Tunbridge Wells-based club saw its swimmers consistently reach finals, break personal bests, and secure qualifying times for major international competitions. 

Leading the charge was 16-year-old Amalie Smith, whose performances marked her out as one of the stars of the championships. Smith claimed a sensational victory in the 400m individual medley, clocking a comfortable win of 4:35.46 to secure both a European Championships qualifying time and a Commonwealth standard. She backed this up with a bronze medal in the 200m individual medley and a third-place finish in the 400m freestyle A final, alongside a sixth-place finish in the 200m butterfly where she also achieved a European Junior qualifying time. Her consistency across multiple demanding events underlined her growing status as a top-tier competitor. 

Equally impressive was 18-year-old Aran Bissett, who delivered a series of dominant performances throughout the week. Racing in the highly anticipated 50m breaststroke final against Olympic champion Adam Peaty, Bissett rose to the occasion with an outstanding swim to secure a European Junior qualifying time. He went on to win multiple junior titles, including the 100m freestyle (48.87), 200m individual medley, 50m freestyle (22.54), and 50m butterfly (24.16), collecting four European Junior qualifying times in total. His speed, versatility, and composure across events made him one of the most successful junior swimmers of the meet. 

16-year-old Imogen Myles also had an incredible meet, with A final appearances in both the 50m and 100m breaststroke where she achieved personal bests in both and European Junior qualification times. In the 200m breaststroke open final she swam a controlled and strong race, setting another pb and missing out on 3rd by 0.16 seconds and gaining yet another European Junior time. 

The championships also saw a host of strong performances from the wider RTW Monson squad. Olivia Quiller, making her debut at this meet at just 15, claimed victory in the junior 200m breaststroke final and added another strong swim in the 100m breaststroke, while 17-year-old Scarlett Davie delivered significant improvements, including a two-second personal best in the 200m breaststroke final. Both Scarlett and Olivia also performed well in the 100m breaststroke junior final. 

Elsewhere, 18-year-old Jessica Gable produced an outstanding personal best of 26.30 in the 50m freestyle and posted personal best times in both the 100m and 200m freestyle events. 17-year-olds Maddie Hind and Ilana Nightingale-Ellis showed strong form in the butterfly events with Maddie earning a place as first reserve in the junior final for the 100m butterfly, and Hayden Annan, 19, put in a solid swim in the 200m freestyle, his first swim in the UK since earning a scholarship to train and study at Virginia Tech in the US. Emilia Oliver, 17, also contributed with a determined performance in the 200m individual medley. 

Behind the success was head coach Karen Bradbury, whose leadership was recognised with the prestigious Coach of the Day award during the championships. Her guidance has clearly played a pivotal role in the club’s development and the athletes’ performances on the national stage. 

With multiple medals, finals appearances, and a host of qualifying times secured, RTW Monson leave the championships with immense pride and momentum. As international selections are finalised, the club’s swimmers – led by the outstanding Smith, Myles and Bissett – have given themselves every opportunity to represent Great Britain on the biggest stages in the months ahead.