Seven Golds and One Silver For Billy
Wednesday 30th November 2022
On November 19th and 20th at the K2 sports centre in Crawley, the first ever British Down Syndrome Swimming Championships were held. Top Squad swimmer Billy Birchmore, who also swims with local club Sharks of Mottingham for people with classifiable disability, was in attendance and on top form. Billy won gold in the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke, the 50m and 100m freestyle, and the 100m and 200m individual medley. He also won the silver medal in the 50m butterfly! Billy, who is now 26, has swum for Orpington Ojays since he was a teenager and everyone at the club is very proud of his achievements in the pool. Billy paid tribute to his coaches when he won his medals. He said: “I would like to thank my great coach at Orpington Ojays, Joe Gaster, whose help is getting me back to my best (there’s a bit to go yet!) and Callum Prout and Graham Gibson at Sharks who carry on Joe’s regime.”