We have our greatest ever representation at the English Masters & Seniors Championships being held in Sheffield at the end of the month. Fifteen members are due to compete in over 70 individual events.

Alice Pinney (aged 19), Laura Smith (25), Jodie Armstrong (37), Michelle Neal (39) & Kelly Cooke (42) – all making their National Masters debuts – will be joined by Karen MacKenzie (46) and Sharon Thompson (52).

Their male counterparts are Alex Mason (23), Sam Bradley (25), John O’Rourke (50), Dave Wright (58), Alastair Gibb (59), Graham Powell (63), Malcolm Barton (64) and Colin Mayes (64).

Four others of the Masters’ squad achieved qualifying times in their respective five year age groups but for various reasons will not be participating.

The strong presence in Sheffield is testimony to the many voluntary hours given to the Masters’ squad by coach Pauline Harrington, assisted by Jane Cattle.

Congratulations to Karen Mackenzie, Kelly Cooke, Jodie Armstrong and Michelle Neal on breaking the 160+ years 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay record in a time of 2:06.20 at the Barnet Copthall Masters Sprints Meet.  All four swam 31 second splits; a great team effort.

Congratulations to club coach Dave Wright on his Bronze medal at the Swim England Open Water Championships. Dave’s medal came in his age group’s 3k swim. Alice Pinney meanwhile finished 4th in the 18-24  years’ Ladies 5k event.

Read here for further details.

Our swimmers demonstrated their prowess and versatility at the 2019 GB Masters, winning five medals – three of them in their respective age group’s  400m IM.

Malcolm Barton hung on to snatch the Silver whilst both Karen MacKenzie and John O’Rourke won Bronze medals. Malcolm and John were double medalists. After 14 years of Masters’ competitions, it was the first time that John had ever won medals on the National stage. Karen meanwhile set two new Beds County Masters records. Read here for a full report.

Congratulations to Graham Powell, Malcolm Barton, Dave Wright and Colin Mayes.

Their time of 5:10.46 in the 240-279 years 4 x 100m Medley relay at the National Masters last year has been confirmed as the 7th fastest recorded in the world last year.