MILLS MASTERS RECORD BREAKING IN SHEFFIELD
Alexander Mills was the most successful swimmer on the second
day of the ASA National Masters 25m Championship as more records
continued to tumble at the Ponds Forge Pool.
The 53-year-old Hadrian Masters aqua ace set two European
and three British records in Sheffield, continuing the fine
form shown by swimmers from the English club so far.
Mills set his first European and British record with a starring
performance in the 50m Breaststroke, clocking an impressive
32:23secs in the 50-54 year age group. His time eclipsed the
previous best of 33:06secs.
And it got even better as the day went on, with Mills re-writing
the record books again with an excellent swim in the 100m
Freestyle, also in the 50-54 years age section.
Mills touched home in 55:45secs to set a new European and
British standard, bettering the previous record of 57:31secs.
A doctor by day, Mills then recorded a new British record
in the 50m Freestyle, one of his favourite disciplines.
His time of 25:67secs knocked 0.59 seconds of the old record,
which understandably delighted the former Scottish international.
"The secret is to have a good diet, train hard in and
out of the pool and be technically correct," said Mills,
who celebrates his 54th birthday in December.
"I've been swimming for 50 years, but I'm swimming quicker
now than when I was ten years ago. I've been training at race
speed, which has definitely helped.
"I'm still extremely ambitious, so it's always nice to
set new records. I've been breaking records all my life, but
I honestly believe you can achieve anything if you put your
mind to it and work hard."
Mills, who made his international debut for Scotland in 1971,
before three years later captaining the team at the 1974 Commonwealth
Games in Christchurch, New Zealand, already has his sights
on breaking a World record next year.
"That's my goal. It would be nice wouldn't it? I've never
broken a World record before," added Mills, who learned
to swim in Singapore and who also represented Great Britain
in 1975.
European records continued to fall and the next went to Judy
Hattle, yet another Hadrian Masters swimmer.
Hattle, who set a new European and British record on the first
day of competition with a splendid swim in the 50m Butterfly,
was once again in top form in her 45-49 years age group.
The 45-year-old grabbed her second European and British record
with a time of 5mins 39:53secs in the 400m Individual Medley.
Her time was just 0.01 hundredths of a second off beating
the old record by five seconds.
Three more European records had fallen by the end of proceedings
on day two, with Jo Corben (Fareham Nomads), Derek Parr (Otter)
and Hattle, again, having tasted sweet success.
Hattle's third European honours came in the 200m Butterfly,
which she completed in 2min 34:15secs, also a British record.
Corben, 35, with a swim of 2min 20:67secs in the 35-39 years
200m Backstroke, and Parr, 61, with a time of 2min 37:79 in
the 60-64 years 200m Butterfly, were also deservedly pleased
with their record-breaking day.
The other British record-setters were Simon Veale (Totness,
1500m Freestyle, 45-49 years), Alan Thomson (Forres, 50m Breaststroke,
45-49 years), Aimee Ramm (Loughborough University, 50m and
100m Freestyle, 19-24 years), Neville Barton (Rochdale Aquabears,
50m Breaststroke, 50-54 years), Mark Reynolds (Barnet Copthall,
50m and 100m Freestyle, 40-44 years), Guy Davis (Wandsworth,
100m Freestyle, 45-49 years), Sue Haigh (Tiverton, 200m Butterfly,
45-49 years), Francis Penwarden (Kings Cormorants, 100m Breaststroke,
50-54 years), Alistair Crawford (Rotherham Metro, 50m Freestyle,
19-24 years), Tom Greenwood (Bracknell, 50m Freestyle, 45-49
years), Bill Letch (Wincantan, 50m Freestyle, 65-69 years)
and Anthony O'Driscoll (Kenilworth Masters, 100m Breaststroke,
45-49 years).
In total 21 British and six European records were broken on
the second day, taking the combined totals for the first two
days to 34 British and eight European records. As yet no World
records have been achieved.
However, there was a New Zealand record set by countryman
Fred Clatworthy. The 35-year-old turned on the style in the
400m Freestyle at 35-39 years, making his own slice of history
with a time of 4mins 17:34secs.
The final day of this year's three-day competition will start
at 9.00am, with the Mixed 800m Freestyle, 200m Individual
Medley, 100m Butterly and 4 x 50m Medley Relays to look forward
to, followed by the concluding session of this year's championship,
which begins at 1.00pm.
The 200m Freestyle, 100m Individual Medley, 50m Backstroke
and 4 x 50m Freestyle Relays bringing to a close proceedings
in South Yorkshire.
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