Nathalie Brown continues to be the splash queen of the Borough of Southend Swimming and Training Club.

She is just back from the third and final round of the Essex Open and Age Group Championships at the Fulwell Cross Pool, Barkingside, where she won three more gold and two silver medals.

That latest success followed straight on from a trip to the United States with coach Mike Higgs to compete in the USA National Swimming Championships in Seattle, Washington State.

Nathalie had been given permission at last year's Essex Championships to swim a time trial in the men's 1500m freestyle in order to gain an entry time for the USA nationals.

In the States she swam exceptionally well to record 16 min 46.1 sec to place 10th overall in this event - only two-and-a-half seconds outside Olympic star Sarah Hardcastle's senior county record, which has stood for a period of 15 years.

Sarah, of course, was also a member of the crack Borough of Southend squad.

Also in America, Nathalie was placed 11th in the 800m freestyle (8.48.0), and fifth in the consolation final of the 400m individual medley (4.55.5). She placed 27th in the 4500m freestyle.

Nathalie's times in Seattle place her in the current world rankings in four events. She and other Borough members fly out on Friday to compete in the Jersey Open Easter Meet.

At the Essex event Nathalie's three golds came in the senior women's 200, 400 and 800 freestyle events.

The latter two were won with event-best performance times. Nathalie also had a personal best in the 100m breaststroke, in which she took the silver. She also collected the silver in the 200m breaststroke and a fifth in the 200m backstroke final.

Beverley Ford had a good weekend, winning the 19 years and over 400m freestyle as well as collecting silver in the 200m breaststroke. She then took a bronze in the final of the same age group 200m backstroke.

Jonathan Sayer was a silver in the boys 10 years 400m freestyle as well as being placed fourth in the 200 individual medley.

Susannah Carroll continues to make good progress and took three seconds off her personal best time to win the silver in the 12 years 100m freestyle.

She also achieved her second qualifying time for this year's national age group championships, to be held later this year.

Adam Hickey, the Southend High pupil who has recently also produced sensational performances in the athletics world, was another to produce his second national qualifying time in the final of the boys 100m freestyle, in which he won the bronze medal.

Gareth Hand recorded a personal best time to place fifth in the boys 14 years 200m butterfly and Adam's sister Maria was also fifth in the 10 years 400m freestyle -- again in a personal best time.

Daniel Mason also bettered his previous top time in the 13 years 100 freestyle.

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