TWO Herefordshire swimmers are making waves in the swimming pool after taking a host of victories with one crowned National Champion for her age category.

Hereford Cathedral Junior School pupil Zara Beaumont gained a personal best and broke the Independent Association of Prep Schools national record when she swam to glory in the under-11 50 metres breaststroke competition.

After winning her regional heat Beaumont got to swim in the national finals at the London Aquatics Centre.

Before going to the finals Beaumont was ranked number one out of an original 164 other entrants and was 2.5 seconds faster than her nearest rival.

Stuart Turpin, Head of Sport at Hereford Cathedral Junior School, said: “This was an incredible victory by Zara!

"At the finals, Zara stormed through her semi-final with an astonishing performance in a time of 35.88 seconds, not only breaking her own personal best, but breaking the previous IAPS* Under-11 50m record of 36.27 seconds set in 2015.

“In the final, Zara was ahead by the 25-metre turn and stormed away to win in a time of 35.98 seconds, winning by over two seconds to become the national champion."

The young student puts in 12 hours of swimming practice per week in the swimming pool and is a member of the City of Hereford Swimming Club.

Also making waves in the pool is 12-year-old Oliver Jones, from Belmont, in Hereford who has won a host of medals despite only returning to training in January after two years out of the pool.

At the beginning of April he was awarded a HALO sports foundation membership which gives him access to facilities such as swimming pools and gyms within HALO to assist his training, this was quickly followed by a weekend of competition in Stoke, which saw him gain 10 golds, one silver, one bronze and the overall top boy trophy.

Last month Jones was in action at the West Midlands regionals held in Coventry 50m pool. Having qualified for eight events he made six finals swimming personal best times and winning gold in the 100-metre and 200m breastsroke as well as bronze in the 50m breastsroke.

At the end of May he competed at Ponds Forge 50m pool in Sheffield, racing in seven events Oliver won gold in the 50m and 100m breastsroke.