CARNEGIE Swimming Club has a new triple national champion after Ellie Turner starred at the Scottish National Age Group Championships.

The talented Woodmill High School pupil was part of a 30-strong squad that travelled to the event in Glasgow and she stole the show by winning gold in the 400m individual medley, 100m backstroke and the 200m backstroke – in which she broke the Scottish age group record.

Held at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre, which hosted aquatic events during the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, the competition saw more than 1000 of the best age group swimmers, representing more than 90 clubs, from across the UK take part.

Ellie, who won an incredible haul of 16 medals at the East District Age Group Championships in July, competed in 11 individual races in the girls 11-13 age category and, as well as her three titles and 200m backstroke record time of 2:25.16, she also took home three silver medals in the 50m backstroke, 200m individual medley and 800m freestyle, as well as finishing in the top six in a further five events.

The meet was also a chance for swimmers to gain ranking positions for the ASA British National Summer Championships that will take place in August in Sheffield.

That event will see the top 24 ranked swimmers in each age group who post times in events until May 30 invited to take part, and 12-year-old Ellie has her sights on securing her place at the event.

Not to be outdone in what was a successful competition for Carnegie, 14-year-old Greig Rowe took home three silver medals in the boys' 15-year-old 200m breaststroke, 50m freestyle and 400m individual medley, as well as a bronze in the 200m individual medley.

Places in the finals of the 100m breaststroke (fourth), 50m breaststroke (fifth) and the 400m freestyle (fifth) completed a fine performance from Rowe, while a number of other club swimmers produced excellent swims.

In the 11-13 girls age group, Freya Bisht and Morven Lister swam impressively to reach finals and Rebecca Baird and Emma Russell both posted personal bests, while Jessica McKee reached five finals in the 14-year-old girls age category, just missing out on a medal in the 100m backstroke.

There were four top 10 finishes for Eilidh Collyer in the 16 years events while, in the boys competition, Calum Hillis posted a number of PBs in the 14 years category as Saul Paton (11-13 years) showed promise in his first nationals.

James Beattie was unfortunate to miss out on medals in both the 16 years 200m butterfly and the 400m individual medley, while in the 17 and over age group, James Collyer, Fraser Beeby and Ruairidh Lawless all managed top 10 finishes.

Ellie's dad Craig said: "These championships are the main thing Ellie aims for at the start of the year, certainly in Scotland, and she is well chuffed, especially with the Scottish record. We said to her that if she finished in the top five of the three straight races she was involved in, and made the other eight finals, we would be chuffed but she performed well above any expectations. Last year she was the 200m backstroke champion and was the favourite for that and fastest qualifier, so maybe she felt a bit of pressure on that, but she thrived and broke the Scottish record to make sure she got it!

"She does work hard and is getting the rewards, and with the qualifying window for the British open until the end of May, I don't think she'll be too far away from that.

"Greig had a fantastic meet as well and I hope he'll soon be hitting British times, but it was successful for the club. They're going through a bit of a transition just now and there are a lot of youngsters coming in, but performances like this bodes well for the future."