A team of Masters Swimmers from Long Eaton Swimming Club made the short journey up the M1 to Sheffield this weekend to compete at the British Gas ASA National Masters and Senior Age Group Championships. They returned with a haul of 3 Gold, 7 Silver and 3 Bronze medals along with a Record Breaking performance.
The Ladies 120 plus age group team of Rebecca Fox, Elizabeth Simpson, Laura Marinelli and Helen Akers went one better at these short course Championships, by swimming to a British and European short course Record in the four by 200metres freestyle relay, adding it to the British long course Record they achieved in the event earlier in the year. They also won Gold in the same age group in the four by 50m relay and silver in the four by 100m relay in a time inside the old British Record. As lead off swimmer in this event, and therefore able to set an individual time, Rebecca was also able to claim the British Record in the 30-34 years age group for the 100 metres freestyle.
Rebecca and Helen joined Greg Cherry and Colin Prescott to take Silver in two very close finishes, in both the mixed freestyle relay at 400 and 800 metres in the 120 years plus age group. It was also Silver for the 200 years plus team of Maggi Tuck, Mary Holland with Julie Phillips and Fiona Starbuck, neither of whom had swum competitively for many years, in the 200m freestyle relay.
The team entered a total of 15 relay teams across the weekend and in addition to the European record many performances bettered the existing British Records, only to be pipped into second place.
Mary Holland was the only individual Gold medal winner and this came in the 100metres freestyle in the 65/69 years age group. Elizabeth and Colin, swimming in the 35-39 years age groups each took Bronze in the 200metres individual medley and it was another medal for Elizabeth, this time Silver in the 400metres freestyle and in the same event, a Silver for Mary too.
Pete Irving took Silver in the 45/49 years age group in the 200metres backstroke.
Chief Coach Spencer George said he was delighted with the performance of the Masters Squad at this three day event proving that, across the board from the Development Squad to the Masters Squad, the club is improving at a rapid pace and is set to become one of the most successful clubs in the Region. He had a special mention for ladies who achieved the European record and congratulated all the swimmers on their performances and for helping to raise the profile of swimming in Long Eaton.
Masters Coach, Dave Akers, had high expectations of the swimmers after a very successful training cycle and he was not disappointed. As well as record breaking and medal winning performances all of the swimmers rose to the occasion and produced some outstanding swimming with many masters personal best times along with a handful of lifetime best times. ‘I was particularly happy with the way that the group came together as a team and encouraged and promoted great performances. To be able to take fifteen relay teams onto the national stage and come away with a number of medals is an indication that Long Eaton Masters swimming is on the up and will continue to grow and become a major force in UK masters swimming. Indeed, I am looking to take a team to the World Masters Swimming Championships in Riccione in Italy in the summer of 2012.
He added, ‘It is nice to see that the younger swimmers (18-24) have a place to shine as they transition into Masters Age Groups (25 and over) and they had a great competition’ It is good for the Club to be able to offer them the opportunity and to be able to take great club swimmers and turn them into outstanding Masters swimmers when traditionally they may have left the sport for good.’
The team is now focused on the Long Course championships in March 2012, and the following World Championships in June 2012 for which Coach Dave is looking to find sponsorship to enable more swimmers to experience World Class competition.
