Southend swimmer Nathalie Brown is hoping her fabulous five gold medal haul in the Essex Championships will earn her a trip to America with the Great Britain squad later this year.

Nathalie, competing for the Borough of Southend swimming club, boosted her chances of being on the plane following a magnificent individual display at the championships, held at Barkingside's Fullwell Cross Pool.

The 15-year-old lifted the top titles in the ladies senior event, 200m breast-stroke and women's freestyle junior category, plus the 16-years 200m and 400m freestyle races in event best performance times.

She was then given permission to swim a time trial in the men's 1500m freestyle in order to gain an entry time for the USA Nationals which she passed with ease.

Her final time was 24 seconds inside her previous best and 7.5 seconds inside the entry time set by USA swimming.

Nathalie has already been picked to represent Great Britain in Sweden this Easter at a six nations event.

However, she has her heart set on a place in the USA, where she hopes to compete in the 1500m event.

Her Borough of Southend team mates were also among the medals at the Essex Championships with Alex-andra McKinnon picking up another gold in the 200m butterfly.

Alexandra's sister Elizabeth made sure she kept it in the family by pulling off victories in the 19-years and over 100m backstroke, the 200m butterfly and the 400m individual medley events - both in senior national qualifying times.

Beverley Ford, Ben and Craig Wheeler, Jackie Potts, Laura Smythe and Laura Vickery ensured further honours as they won six silver and two bronze medals between themselves for the club.

Southend swimming club's Jenni Lawton grabbed a silver medal in the second stage of the Essex County Championships' 11-years 100m freestyle.

Susannah Carroll came sixth in the same event and achieved the same place during the 100m backstroke.

There was another sixth place for Nichola Cooper in the 13-years 100m butterfly and Antoinette Martin came fifth in the 15-years 200m breastroke.

Sam Oakley and Luke Beresford brought an end to the days proceedings by recording personal best times in the 14-years 200m breastroke category.

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