Swimming success as 11-year-old schoolgirl becomes North West Champion

Jessica Sunderland with her Regional medals

An 11-year-old schoolgirl has become the North West Swim England Champion after taking home three medals in three race distances.

Jessica Sunderland, who is a member of Aquabears Swimming Club, qualified for the Swim England North West Regionals after qualifying and taking part in the Swim Lancashire Counties at Manchester Aquatics in January.

At the North West Regionals, which were held at Liverpool and Manchester Aquatics in May, Jessica not only beat all her times but won a bronze medal in her 50m breaststroke, a silver medal in her 200m breaststroke and gold in her 100m breaststroke, ranking her number one in the north west, 15^th in England and 17^th in the whole of Great Britain for her age in breaststroke.

Jessica was one of the youngest taking part, as she only turned 11 in December.

A keen swimmer since she was five years old, Jessica first started lessons when she was eight. She has been a member of the Castleton swimming group Aquabears for two years.

Due to her success and now being the North West Champion for her age at 100m breaststroke, Jessica has been selected by Swim England to take part in the North West Regional Development training camp over three days this summer.

Under the expertise of Dave Crouch, who also coached former Olympian Keri-Anne Payne, Jessica currently trains five times per week with the club.

Head Girl at Holy Trinity CE in Littleborough, she also swims with the school’s successful swimming team, who have also just competed in the English Schools Swimming Nationals, heavily-dominated by private and public schools, placing 10th overall in the country for the medium schools relay.

Jennifer Sunderland, Jessica's proud mum, said: “I think Jessica’s success as a local, hardworking determined young girl is something to be proud of and celebrated by Rochdale.

"Her coach has helped train previous Olympians, and the work he puts in is tireless and should not go un-noticed in the town, as helping to train young children and giving them the opportunity to progress in sport, with a potential to go far is something to be cherished.

“Jessica’s coaches have been fantastic, constantly encouraging and pushing her to achieve the maximum she can in order to achieve what she is able to.

“Without the encouragement of teachers and local swimming clubs and parents, Jessica would not have achieved what she has.

"I can only hope that if she continues with the effort she puts in now, she will have a bright future.”