This past week saw Head Coach Peter Richardson and Elite Performance swimmers Joe Pickering (18y) and Zac Baughan-Withington (16y) travel to London to compete at the 2026 Aquatics GB British Championships.

As the pinnacle of national competition in Britain, the event brings together the country’s top swimmers to compete for national titles and selection to European

and Commonwealth Games squads, as well as junior (U18) age group representation. Qualification for this meet is exceptionally demanding, making participation a major achievement in itself. 

However, Joe and Zac did far more than just qualify - they delivered outstanding performances throughout the week.

The competition began with Zac in the 400m freestyle. Having recently achieved a strong personal best to qualify, expectations were high. Despite the challenge of an outside lane and the pressure of a national stage, Zac produced an excellent swim, recording his second-fastest time ever, just outside his entry mark.

Wednesday saw both swimmers in action. Joe set the tone in the 200m butterfly with a superb performance, winning his heat and producing a significant personal best, which also established a new KUHSC Open Age 

Group club record. Zac followed in the 400m IM, delivering a controlled swim to match his entry time of 4:42, showing growing confidence in the championship environment.

On Thursday, Zac competed in his strongest event, the 1500m freestyle. Starting aggressively, he matched his 400m pace and surpassed his 800m personal best on route to a huge new PB. His performance secured an impressive 7th place in the junior category, alongside a new age group club record and even earned the coveted “golden handshake” from his coach.

FULL RESULTS

The club is extremely proud of both Joe and Zac for their achievements and the way they represented KUHSC on such a prestigious stage.