LADIES HIT EURO MARKS AT MASTERS MEET
Record-breaker Francis Penwarden had a smile as wide as the
Ponds Forge pool as she registered her own slice of history
on the opening day of the ASA National Masters 25m Championship.
The Kings Cormorants 200m Breaststroke ace set a new European
and British record in Sheffield, clocking an impressive time
of 3min 00:66 secs in the women's 50-54 age-group category.
And 51-year-old Penwarden was not the only record-breaker
in South Yorkshire, but she and Judy Hattle were the only
two swimmers to set a new European standard.
Hattle, 45, representing Hadrian Masters, set a new European
and British record in the 50m Butterfly. Her time of 30:70secs
enough to re-write the record books in the 45-49 years age-group.
Records continued to tumble during the course of the 1500m
Freestyle, 200m Breaststroke, 50m Butterfly and 100m Backstroke
disciplines.
This year's swimmers have a tough ask on their hands if they
are going to eclipse last year's final record standings -
but they've certainly started in the right manner.
Last year saw ten World, 31 European and 115 British records
fall.
But 86-year-old Harold Dodd, a plucky pensioner from Wythenshawe,
started the ball rolling with a new British record in the
1500m Freestyle, competing for Trafford.
His time of 34min 04:68secs bettered his previous best of
34min 20:91secs from last year.
City of Milton Keynes swimmer Margaret Smith, 47, was in fine
form in the 1500m Freestyle, with a time of 20min 12:79secs
for a British and new Scottish record in the 45-49 age-group.
Hadrian Masters had cause for double success when, as well
as Hattle's success, Graham Pearson claimed a British record
in the 200m Breaststroke, 50-54 age bracket.
The 53-year-old registered a time of 2min 44:26 for a deserved
medal, while in the 70-74 age-group section Southport's Thomas
Walker touched home in 3min 15:50secs to achieve a British
record of his own.
There were six other British records broken on the opening
day, with a total of 13 British and two European records broken.
Aimee Ramm, 23, starred for Loughborough University with a
time of 28:30secs in the 19-24 age-group of the 50m Butterfly,
with Soundwell's Eric Henderson a record-setter in the 55-59
section of the men's 50m Butterfly. The 57-year-old recorded
a time of 29:15secs.
The other record-breakers were Sarah Rickwood, 21, from Loughborough
Town, in the 19-24 years 100m Backstroke (1min 05:51secs);
Jo Corben, 21, of Fareham Nomads, successful in the 35-39
years 100m Backstroke (1min 06:02), and 62-year-old Diane
Ford, of Spencer, in the 60-64 years 200m Breaststroke (3min
18:15secs).
Bob Lord, 60, made his experience tell with an inspired swim
in the 60-64 years 100m Backstroke competition.
The Kennilworth Masters swimmer clocked a time of 1min 15:46secs,
while the last record of the day went to 81-year-old John
Davis.
Birmingham Masters swimmer Davis swam a time of 1min 49:03secs
for a new British record in the 80-84 years age-group.
The second day of this year's three-day event starts at 9.00am,
with the 400m Individual Medley, 50m Breaststroke, 100m Freestyle,
200m Backstroke, 100m Freestyle and 4 x 50m Medley Relays
to look forward to, while the afternoon session, which starts
at 1.30pm, includes the 400m Freestyle, 200m Butterfly, 50m
Freestyle, 100m Breaststroke and 4 x 50m Freestyle Relays.
Sunday's schedule runs from 9.00am, with the final and concluding
session of the competition starting at 1.00pm.
This year has seen a staggering number of entries with 586
men, 461 women, in attendance to represented a combined total
of 264 clubs.
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