Medals, qualifying times and personal bests for Torquay Leander swimmers

The 2026 swimming season is well underway, and Torquay Leander’s athletes have wasted no time in making their mark.

A remarkable 53 swimmers from the club achieved qualifying times for the prestigious Devon County Championships, hosted at the Plymouth Life Centre — a testament to the depth and strength of the squad.

Over the course of the Championships, Torquay Leander delivered an outstanding set of performances, and these are the numbers that bring the club so much pride:

• 185 heat swims
• 113 heat personal bests
• Zero heat disqualifications
• 62 final swims
• 51 final personal bests
• Just one disqualification in finals
• 20 swimmers reaching finals

In the medal standings, the club’s presence on the podium was constant. The team secured:

• 19 Gold medals
• 11 Silver medals
• 7 Bronze medals
• 10 fourth-place finishes

Beyond the medal tally, there was further cause for celebration. Swimmers collected 29 Regional Qualifying Times and six Regional Consideration Times, earning opportunities to compete against the very best athletes from across the South West. For a club of Torquay Leander’s size, the achievement reflects both athlete commitment and coaching excellence.

Mini League Campaign Begins

With the County Championships concluded, attention swiftly turned to the East Devon Mini League — a competition Torquay Leander has dominated for the past two consecutive seasons.

The team, comprising of over 30 swimmers arrived for the event, and the first gala for some of them. They were all determined to defend their title and made an emphatic statement early on. Torquay stormed through the opening programme of events, winning the first five races and setting an assertive tone for the gala.

Across the 52 races involving six local Swimming Clubs, Torquay Leander recorded:

• 22 first-place finishes
• 16 second places
• 5 third places
• 1 Fourth place
• 1 Fifth place
• 7 disqualifications

However, those seven disqualifications proved costly. The penalty points kept rival teams within reach and ultimately impacted the final standings.

The overall scores at the end of the 1st Round were:

• Dawlish – 105
• Exeter – 138
• Paignton – 138
• Newton Abbot – 202
• Exmouth – 233
• Torquay – 237

Despite the setbacks, the team secured the top score of the evening and maintained their winning form in the league’s opening round.

Eyes on Round Two 

The focus now shifts to Round Two, set to take place once again at Riverside on Sunday, March 8. With two rounds remaining before the overall champion is crowned, Torquay Leander will be aiming to tighten up on technical precision while maintaining the speed and competitive edge that has already defined their 2026 season.

If the opening months are any indication, Torquay Leander’s swimmers are poised for another memorable year in the pool.