Alex Murphy continued his great form with a hat-trick of record-breaking gold-medal performances in the South East Region’s Winter Championships in Portsmouth.

The 15-year-old Didcot Barramundi SC member won the junior 50m breaststroke in 30.04secs, the 100m breaststroke in 1min 4.72secs and the 200m breaststroke in 2.21.92.

Each of these times, which gave him second place in the open age competition, was a junior regional and county record.

Murphy, who the previous week had won the intermediate 100m breastroke title at the English Schools divisional championships, also gained a silver medal in the junior 100m individual medley event at Portsmouth in 1.03.55.

Harry James, Wantage White Horses’ only representative at the championships, excelled with five top-three finishes in his age group.

Having turned 15 last Aug-ust, James was one of the younger competitors in his age group.

He shone in the 50m breaststroke (32.61secs), 100m breaststroke (1.11.72), 200m breaststroke (2.33.77), 100m IM (1.05.89) and 200m IM (2.20.68), all in personal best times.

Each swim was a club record.

Abingdon Vale’s Olivia Law, 16, came third in the 200m backstroke, setting a new short course club record with her time of 2.20.46.

Law also set new club records in the 100m backstroke (1.06.69), in which she came fourth, and the 200m freestyle (2.10.97).