Matthew’s doing just swimmingly

Para swimmer Matthew Buckland was celebrating winning bronze at a national tournament at the weekend.

The 14-year-old Yavneh College student from Edgware qualified for three races at the British National Para-Swimming Championships, and while being banded at the bottom of the 14-17 age group, still managed to secure third in the 100m breaststroke.

His win on Sunday came on the back of winning five gold medals at the recent London Regional Disability Swimming Championships – in the 200m free, 100m breaststroke and free, and 50m breaststroke and free.

Looking ahead, Matthew, who trains with Barnet Copthall Swimming Club and twice a month with the London Disability Swimming Club at the London Aquatics Centre, plans to enter the CP Sport 2016 National Swimming Championships, which are being held in Nottingham in April, and is aiming to compete at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, as well as hoping to qualify for the 20th Maccabiah Games in 2017.