It is getting close to the end of the swimming season for 2012 which is signified by the large gathering of Norfolk teams at Dereham Leisure Centre for the County Challenge competition. Diss Otters had 31 swimmers competing at the event on the first weekend with many terrific swims and medal winning performances.

In the nine years age group Verity Boylan raced in two events with her best result of 15th coming in the 50m breaststroke. Elise Jefferis achieved a medal in the 200m backstroke event where she finished fifth, narrowly beaten by teammate Otillie Miller finishing third.

For the boys, Max Ashken won a silver medal in the 200m breaststroke and Cameron performed strongly in his first ever competition in the 50m backstroke and 50m butterfly.

The 10 years age group was the largest for the Otters with five girls and five boys competing strongly all day.

Madison Dewsbury achieved her best result of 20th in the 50m breaststroke, with Lauren Armour finishing 17th in the same event and Megan Greenacre 15th. Renais Fagher sprinted home with a great time in the 50m front crawl whilst Charlotte Palmer narrowly missed out on the medals in the 200m backstroke, finishing seventh. For the boys, Ben Brooks raced over four events with his best results of seventh and eighth coming in the 200m front crawl and 100m individual medley respectively whilst Benjamin Trowell had his taste of competition in the 50m backstroke, finishing a well-earned 11th place. Joel Clarke achieved a silver medal in the 50m backstroke in only his second competition for the club whilst Jude Ashken and Matthew Tatum both had their hands full picking up nine medals between them, with Jude's best result of second coming in the 200m front crawl and Matthew picking up bronze in the 100m individual medley.

All four of Diss' 11-year-olds picked up medals, with Katie Halmshaw fourth in the 50m front crawl, Dominic Boylan sixth in the 200m breaststroke, Harvey Sarson fifth in the 50m butterfly and 100m backstroke and fourth in the 200m front crawl and finally Henry Melton who picked up two medals in his favourite stroke, the butterfly with sixth place in the 50m race and third in the gruelling 100m butterfly.

There were also four swimmers in the 12 years age category, with Bria Clarke swimming two events and moving highest up the rankings in the 50m breaststroke to 10th. Jack Seaman swam consistently well over his three events with his best result of 13th coming in the 200m breaststroke. Luc Van Rensburg climbed as high as eighth place in the 50m butterfly and Pippa Rice had a full schedule of six events, achieving her best result in the most challenging, the 200m butterfly finishing fourth.

In the 13 years age group Nila Taylor narrowly missed out on the medals with a placing of eighth in the 200m backstroke whilst Emma Halmshaw achieved 15th in the 50m front crawl. Sam Neal picked up two bronze medals in the 200 front crawl and 50m butterfly whilst Jacob Blades went one better with three bronze medals in the 50m and 100m backstroke and 200m breaststroke and finally Ryan Waters achieved Diss Otters' first gold of the day with a terrific swim in the 200m breaststroke.

In the 14 years age group, Caitlin Davy picked up two bronze medals and two silver medals and led the team well as girls' captain. Daniel Brooks picked up medals in all of his five races, with his best result of third coming in both the 50m backstroke and 200m breaststroke.

Kirsty Barker, the club's oldest swimmer of the day led, by example with two bronze medals and two golds in the 200m butterfly and 200m individual medley.