A Summer of Success for Derwentside & Gateshead Swimmers
National Medals, Lifetime Bests and Performances to Remember
What a summer it has been for the swimmers of Derwentside & Gateshead.
From the Next Gen 2026 programme through to the Swim England Summer Nationals, our swimmers have been competing on some of the biggest stages in the country — and they have done themselves, their coaches, their teammates and their clubs incredibly proud.
There have been national medals, lifetime bests, multiple finals, outstanding racing and some seriously exciting swims along the way.
And, of course, a huge congratulations to everyone who qualified for and competed at the Summer Nationals. Simply earning a place at this level is a fantastic achievement, and every swimmer who made the trip should be incredibly proud of what they have accomplished.
Ben Beale — Double Gold
Let's start with a performance that deserves a huge spotlight.
Ben Beale enjoyed a sensational Next Gen campaign, coming away with two gold medals and a silver.
While Ben is a proud Derwentside & Gateshead swimmer, on this
occasion he raced under the banner of our collaborative club,
Sunderland ASC. We are delighted to celebrate his achievements as
part of the wider success of our swimming community and the
fantastic collaboration between the clubs.
Ben's results at the Aquatics Next Gen Championships 2026, were:
- 200m Butterfly — GOLD
- 200m Individual Medley — GOLD
- 400m Individual Medley — SILVER
- 100m Butterfly — 6th
To win one national title is an incredible achievement.
To win two is something else entirely.
Ben's performances demonstrated the versatility, consistency and racing ability required to compete at the very highest level. Two national titles on the national stage is a phenomenal accomplishment and one that deserves enormous recognition.
Double national champion — take a bow, Ben.
Lewis Maxwell — An Incredible Final 50 Metres
There was one race that certainly got the adrenaline flowing.
In the 100m Butterfly, Lewis Maxwell produced an absolutely
incredible finish.
With the race coming down to the final 50 metres, Lewis dug
unbelievably deep from Lane 8 and produced a fantastic
charge to the wall — turning the race on its head and
securing gold.
That is what racing is all about.
Never giving up. Trusting the training. Finding something extra
when it matters most.
And Lewis wasn't finished there. At the Summer Nationals, his results included:
- 100m Butterfly — GOLD
- 100m Backstroke — BRONZE
- 200m Individual Medley — BRONZE
He also reached the 200m Backstroke final at Next Gen, finishing 8th.
Three national medals across three different events at the Summer Meet is a fantastic achievement, but that butterfly finish will certainly live long in the memory.
What a swim, Lewis.
Talia Staines Experience Shines in the 1500m
There is no substitute for experience when it comes to long-
distance racing — and Talia Staines showed exactly why.
In the 1500m Freestyle, Talia put that experience to excellent use,
producing a superb swim to take silver.
That is an incredible achievement in one of the most demanding
events on the programme.
Talia's Next Gen results were:
- 1500m Freestyle — SILVER
- 400m Freestyle — 4th
And at the Summer Nationals:
- 200m Freestyle — 2nd
A national silver in the 1500m is a huge achievement, and Talia can be extremely proud of the way she raced.
Congratulations, Talia — another fantastic national performance.
Peter McGrother — First Ever National Medal!!
Another brilliant celebration at the meet has to go to Peter
McGrother.
Peter secured his first-ever national medal, taking BRONZE
in the 400m Individual Medley — and he did it with a
lifetime personal best.
There really isn't a better way to win your first national
medal.
A lifetime best. A national podium. And a performance that
looks likely to secure Peter a third visit to the British
Championships.
That is a massive milestone and a fantastic reward for all the hard work that has gone into getting there.
Congratulations, Peter — first national medal and a PB to go with it.
Emily Maxwell — Finals Experience at the Highest Level
Emily Maxwell also put together a very strong Summer
Nationals campaign. Her experience at national level shone
through and
she should be extremely proud of her accomplishments.
Emily reached multiple national finals, competing against some
of the strongest swimmers in the country.
Her results included:
- 100m Butterfly — 6th
- 200m Freestyle — 7th
- 200m Individual Medley — 4th
And while the medal narrowly escaped her in that final swim, reaching multiple finals at this level is a superb achievement in itself.
Those experiences matter.
Emily was chosen to represent D&G in every relay event. The 400 medley team above, making the final in a hugely competitive category and finishing 10th overall. Well done ladies.
Every final brings another opportunity to race the best, learn, adapt and build confidence — and Emily showed exactly the kind of experience and composure that comes from competing consistently at this level.
A huge well done, Emily.
Alice Forrest — An Exciting Future Ahead
Another swimmer who deserves a massive mention is Alice Forrest, who produced a terrific Next Gen campaign.
Alice was competing in the 17/18-year-old age category as a 17-year-old, meaning she was up against swimmers who could be a year older and more experienced. That makes her run of results even more impressive.
At the Next Gen Champs, Alice finished:
- 1500m Freestyle — 5th
- 800m Freestyle — 5th
- 400m Freestyle — 5th overall
- 400m Freestyle — 3rd 17-year-old
- 400m Individual Medley — 5th
Four overall top-five finishes across a demanding programme is a fantastic achievement, particularly given the strength of the age group she was competing in.
To consistently finish inside the top five against some of the best swimmers in the country shows just how competitive Alice already is and, importantly, she still has another year in this age category.
If this year's performances are anything to go by, that bodes extremely well for what could be a very exciting 2027.
The experience Alice has gained from racing at this level, combined with another year of development, training and competition, gives her plenty to build on.
A fantastic performance, Alice — and plenty more to come.
Anna Finlay — Strong Breaststroke Performances
Anna Finlay also enjoyed a very strong Next Gen meet, producing some excellent breaststroke swims:
- 100m Breaststroke — 4th
- 200m Breaststroke — 5th
- 400m medley relay team - Finalists finishing 10th overall.
Coming so close to the podium in both events shows just how competitive Anna was throughout the meet.
Two national top-five finishes is something to be extremely proud of.
Anna was also in the relay team making the final alongside Emily, Alice and Rebecca where they finished in 10place overall.
Brilliant swimming, Anna.
A Huge Well Done to Every Summer Nationals Swimmer
While the medals, finals and standout swims naturally grab the headlines, we absolutely must not forget everyone else who represented Derwentside & Gateshead at the Summer Nationals.
Making it to the Swim England Summer Nationals is an achievement in itself. For many swimmers, the goal is to qualify, step onto that national stage and race alongside the very best in the country — and that deserves just as much recognition.
Not everyone will make a final, and that's simply the reality of competing at a meet of this calibre. The fields are incredibly competitive, with some of the country's strongest swimmers all fighting for those eight final places.
So to everyone who raced, fought for every stroke, achieved a PB, got valuable experience, or simply gave it everything in their heats — a huge well done.
Every swim contributes to the bigger picture. Every race is experience. Every appearance at this level helps build confidence and prepares our swimmers for the challenges still to come.
And a very special welcome to the Summer Nationals for our first-timers — Hetty, Joseph and Thomas.
Competing at your first Summer Nationals is a milestone to be proud of. You have earned your place amongst some of the best swimmers in the country, stepped up to the challenge and represented Derwentside & Gateshead on a huge stage.
We hope this is the first of many Summer Nationals experiences for you.
So, whether you came home with a medal, made a final, just missed out on a final, achieved a PB, gained some invaluable racing experience, or simply stood behind those blocks and thought, "I'm actually here!" — you should all be incredibly proud.
The medals may tell one part of the story, but every swimmer who qualified and represented our clubs played a part in making this such a fantastic Summer Nationals for Derwentside & Gateshead.
What a Summer
From Ben's double gold representing Sunderland ASC, to Lewis's incredible butterfly finish, Talia's superb long-distance silver, Peter's first-ever national medal and lifetime PB, Emily's multiple finals, Alice's consistency in a challenging age group, Anna's near-podium performances, our relay team and every other swimmer who represented Derwentside & Gateshead — what a summer.
These performances are about much more than medals.
They are about the hours spent training.
The early mornings.
The tough sessions.
The races that didn't quite go to plan.
The setbacks.
The PBs.
The support from teammates, coaches and families.
And then, when the opportunity comes, standing behind the blocks and giving everything you have.
That is what makes these performances so special.
So let's give a huge congratulations to every swimmer who has represented Derwentside & Gateshead on the national stage this summer.
Your achievements are something to be incredibly proud of.
National medals. National finals. Personal bests. New experiences. Memories made.
And, most importantly, more proof that the hard work is paying off.
Congratulations everyone.
Derwentside & Gateshead — what a team.
Bring on the next challenge.