FIVE Forest swimmers took part in the Regional Championships this year with some impressive achievements.

The quintet, all members of Cinderford Swimming Club, competed in various events in Plymouth, Hengrove and Millifield.

Their achievements were topped off by a gold medal for Erlina Ainsworth in the 50m freestyle.

She was the fastest 12-year-old in the heats in an excellent time of 29.99 and took the gold in the final in an improved time of 29.86.

Ainsworth also qualified for the final of the 100m freestyle and finished in seventh position in a great time of 1.07.11.

She competed in the 50m backstroke, 50m breaststroke and 400m freestyle with new long course times achieved, as well as the 200m freestyle where she finished in 11th position with a new time.

Finlay Stuart-Gunter swam in the 50m backstroke, achieving a five-second improvement on the same event last year, and the 50m butterfly where he improved his time from last year by three seconds.

Nia Westlake qualified in a incredible nine events; freestyle, breaststroke, fly and individual medley.

Her personal best in 100m breaststroke was set in 2009 and she was only a quarter of a second off this, while she was only 0.19 seconds off the time she set in the 200m breaststroke in 2010.

Westlake reached the final of the in the 200m fly, coming ninth overall on Sunday.

Gabby Stephens qualified in the 50m backstroke, achieving a new long course time and was first reserve for the final; a great achievement but Stephens unfortunately just missed out on a place.

Ceris Westlake qualified in three events, but entered two, the 50m fly and 50m freestyle.

She was less than 0.20 seconds off her PB’s in both events.