WATFORD SWIMMING CLUB'S Ben Dollard continued his remarkable season last weekend when he competed in the Southern Counties Age Group Championships at Crystal Palace.

The 14-year-old swam in four events and underlined his fantastic rise up the ladder to win an astonishing three golds and one silver medal, and in doing so becoming Watford's first Southern Counties champion for some 15 years.

He started with a win in the final of the 100m freestyle on Saturday, which he took in a new personal best of 57.39.

Spurred on by this success, Dollard took a further two golds in his favoured sprint events on Sunday, the 50m butterfly and freestyle, which he won in great style in times of 28.63 and 26.48 respectively.

A fourth gold looked on the cards in the 100m butterfly, but he just failed to take this title, touching home in 1.04.16, only 0.2 seconds behind the winner.

Dollard is now in training for the English Nationals, which will be held in Sheffield later this summer.

July 5, 2002 12:30