AFTER a very close and exciting race in the senior (16-19yrs) boys 4x50m medley team race at the 43rd English Schools National relay team finals at Crystal Palace, the Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, Darlington, Murray Goodrick, Matthew Bowden, Luke Monument and Michael Dowson, moved up from bronze medallists last year to gold medal winners this year, writes ERIC WILKINSON.

The Woodham Community College intermediate (14-16yrs) boys quartet of Mark Jones, Mark Richardson, Liam McKenna and Ian Storey finished in third place.

The Leeds Multi Nations meet, incorporating a British Grand Priz fixture, is staged this weekend and among those with the fastest entry times is Commonwealth and European champion Sue Rolph (Newburn), 100m butterfly, who is changing her base to Wales.

Several of her former Newcastle team mates are also well seeded, Julie Fort, the former Wear Valley club member is favourite for the women's 100m and 200m backstroke, is lying second in the 50m and fifth in the 200m individual medley. Chris Cook has the second quickest entry times for the men's 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke.

Darren Wigg is in second spot for the men's 400m individual medley, third in the 200m butterfly and fourth in the 200m individual medley. Erica Hurn is the third seed in the women's 200m backstroke and sixth in the 100m.

Michael Downes is seeded fifth in the 50m and 100m backstroke and sixth in the 200m. David Straughan is fifth in the 400m individual medley and Sarah Whewell is sixth in the 100m freestyle.

Wear Valley's Caroline Saxby has the fifth fastest qualifying time in the 400m freestyle.

York's Alice Sunderland took the gold medal in the girls 11 years 200m individual medley and silver in the 400m freestyle at the first of this year's Yorkshire championship galas at Leeds. Her club mates Hannah Petts, girls 10 200m individual medley and Tom Southam, boys 15 100m butterfly, were runners-up.

The silver medal in the boys 12 50m butterfly went to Adam Wood (Thirsk White Horse) and Ryan Johnson (Harrogate) with third in the 11 50m butterfly.

Joanne Jackson (Richmond) and Tara Johnson (Chester-le-Street) go to Manchester on Sunday for the first of the World Class potential training course for elite youngsters .