TALBOT Heath Swimming Academy have been crowned champions at the World School Swim Championships in the year 8, under-13 category.

Held in the London Aquatic Centre, in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, teams from across the UK and Dubai came to compete in the inaugural event.

The Talbot Heath team consisted of Bertie Bryson, Halle Robinson, Blossom Munro, Lottie Vavasour, Scarlett Cade and Bea Richman.

Despite competing against much larger schools, Talbot Heath began by finishing second to St Peter's School of York in the 4x50m freestyle relay.

Individual medals from the first day saw Vavasour take a gold, Bryson collect two silvers and two bronzes, Cade pick up two silvers and Robinson win both a bronze and silver medal.

The best performance came in the individual medley relay (4x50m) with a team gold.

Cade brought home the gold on the anchor leg, by a good five meters.

On day two, Cade won two golds, Bryson two silvers and a bronze, Vavasour and Robinson both one silver and one bronze while Richman also collected a bronze.

In the individual medley relay (4x100m) Talbot Heath again won team gold.

Their main competition from the previous relay changed their order to try to compete with the TH team but fell short, resulting in Talbot Heath being crowned World School Games champions.

Head coach Barry Alldrick said: "What an achievement. The set-up of the Championships turned the somewhat individual sport of swimming into a team event in which our pupils thrived.

"For a young academy we 'THink' big, and this is a win we will celebrate for a while.

"The girls were a huge credit to the school – handling disappointments well, yet enlightening the cameras and podium with their smiles and personalities when successful, with all girls joining any relay/team successes."