South Aberdeenshire Swimming team (SAS) returned from Glasgow's British Gas Scottish Open Championships in eighth place, having been as high as fourth on the penultimate day, with solid performances from individual athletes as well as the team.

The girls 4x100 freestyle team - comprising Jessica Christie, Sara Hamilton, (pictured) Rachel Masson and Claire Moir - broke the Scottish junior record by over half a second to win the junior title, finishing second in the senior meet.

"This is the first SAS relay team to achieve such status," said Swim Aberdeenshire's delighted Performance Coach, Gary Paterson.

"Our team is improving massively. The average aim of the athletes swimming in the event was only 16 years old. They are on the cusp of finishing the junior programme and looking at the senior programme so they are punching well beyond their weight."

High points for the team included Sara Hamilton, who won the women's 50 and 100m titles, picking up the junior titles at the same time. In the 100m final against world record holder, Joanne Jackson from England, she finished just 0.25 seconds down to claim the Scottish title.

James Yule won Scottish junior titles in both the 100 and 200m breaststroke events. Christopher Yule, 13 year old younger brother of James, finished a credible eighth in the under 16 breaststroke 200m final.

"Until Saturday evening, with one day to go, we were the fourth top team but other teams scored heavily against us on the last day," said Paterson.

"Because we have a young team and I do put an emphasis on the importance of everyone pulling together, and the team can be proud of what they achieved."

Helping support Paterson's coaching expertise is the Grampian Institute of Sport, part of sportscotland's institute of sport area network, which focuses on preparing Scotland's best athletes to perform on the world stage by providing high performance expertise.

Sixteen year olds Sara Hamilton and James Yule are both institute supported athletes.

"Sara really is a great competitor and she uses that well," said Paterson. "She has made great progress and her maturity has brought a focus on her training that has begun to show in her results across the board.

"James has made consistent progress over the last three years and is now starting to be more competitive with some of the seniors within Scotland.

"Having the institute gives me the opportunity to be able to talk things over with professionals in their field. It is so valuable for me, the athletes and the programme in general because it gives me an opportunity to learn from physiologists, strength and conditioning coaches and physiotherapists.

"We get fantastic support to cover all angles, which is invaluable both physically and mentally."