York City Baths Club will have five swimmers travelling to Ponds Forge Leisure Centre in Sheffield on Sunday to compete all week in the National Age Group Championships, the biggest competition of the swimming calendar for the country's top young swimmers.

First up for York is Tom Southam, who goes in the boys' 15 years 200m individual medley. He also competes in the 50m freestyle, 50m and 100m butterfly and 100m breaststroke. Southam swims too in the 100m freestyle event.

Joining Southam in the boys' 15yrs age group is Lewis Porylo, who swims in the 50, 100 and 200m breaststroke.

Alexandra Outhwaite makes her second National Age Group Championships appearance and swims in the sprint event, the girls' 14yrs 50m backstroke.

York's two youngest representatives are in the boy's 12yrs age group, making their debut in the competition.

Robert Kinnell swims in the 50 and 200m breaststroke and the 50m butterfly, while Andrew Fowler is in the 200m backstroke and 50m butterfly.

York's coaching team, who are travelling with the swimmers, are Andrea Ellis and Alan Sunderland who reach have high hopes.

"Training has been going very well and the swimmers deserve some reward for all their efforts.," said Ellis.

"We both feel confident that we will get some positive results."

York City also had another qualifier for the Sheffield championships in Jenny Hoggard, who has dual membership with Kingston-upon-Hull.

However, she has since decided to represent the Hull-based club at the Ponds Forge pool.

Updated: 12:28 Friday, July 27, 2001