A pair of Stockport Metro swimmers have been named the county’s most promising competitors in the pool.
Eighteen-year-old Reece Grady, from Marton, near Macclesfield, has been named Cheshire Swimmer of the Year by the Cheshire County Water Polo and Swimming Association. And Siena Oxby, 15, from Nantwich, has been named Cheshire Junior Swimmer of the Year.
Reece, who attends The King’s School in Macclesfield, trains in the Performance Squad at Stockport Metro with Head Coach Rick Hall.
A regular medallist at the British and Swim England Championships, he has represented England across the globe, including the Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago this year, winning a gold and silver medal.
Rick Hall, who is Head of Performance swimming at Life Leisure, said: “This is a fantastic accolade for Reece, he is a strong and capable swimmer and he’s got a bright future ahead of him. He’s got lots of medals under his belt, but to be named Cheshire Swimmer of the year and receive the Ian Austerberry Salver is a huge achievement and confidence boost.”
Reece made his international debut this year as part of Swim England Youth Performance Squad in the Swedish Grand Prix and came away with three gold medals in the 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle events. He was then selected for the Great Britain team for the same three races in the European Junior Championships in Turkey, before heading to the Caribbean for the Commonwealth Youth Games.
Siena, who trains with the National Youth Squad at Stockport Metro, has been presented with the Percy Mason Cup as the 2023 Cheshire Junior Swimmer of the year.
Dan Pepper, a Paralympic athlete who helps train Siena at the Life Leisure pool, said: “Siena is a hugely promising talent and we are excited to see what she will go on to achieve.
“After claiming top performances for the British Para team in this year’s IPC World Series in Berlin and Sheffield, Siena was then selected to represent GB in the World Para Swimming Championships in Manchester.
“She was the youngest member of the British team and managed to qualify for the S14 100m breaststroke final. All this is part of her development towards medallist potential at future Paralympic Games.”
