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More than 50 world, European and British records broken at Masters Championships

A superb three days of racing at the British Masters Championships saw more than 50 world, European and national Records shattered in Aberdeen.

The event took place from Friday 17 to Sunday 19 June at the Aberdeen Sport Village.

Silver City Blues took home the top prize of the weekend, claiming the Cupar Trophy with 404 points after an excellent weekend for the team.

Spencer Swim Team finished second with a score of 292 points, with home favourites Aberdeen Dolphin in third on 278.

Seven new world records

The record-breaking weekend included seven new world records as well as 15 new European records too.

Amanda Heath, of Spencer Swim Team, broke three world records over the weekend – two as part of Spencer’s relay teams in the 4x100m Mixed Medley (x240) team and the Women’s 4x100m Freestyle 280+.

She also beat her own world record in the 200m Breastroke (65-69) event.

On her performance, she said: “I’m just so pleased with that. It’s faster than I swam in the previous age group, so I was secretly targeting to go under what I’d swum before.

“It’s my own world record that I broke, but my target was to swim faster than in the 60-64 age group and that’s just smashed it.

“I swam that time here in Aberdeen five years ago, so I’m just so pleased, absolutely delighted.”

Heath was part of the mixed relay quartet including Greg Kahn, Clive Benson and Esther Iseppi who touched home in 4:52.45 for Spencer Swim Team to break the record in the 4x100m Mixed Medley (x240) by more than five seconds.

Another Spencer relay team of Heath, Helen Trippe, Esther Iseppi and Dianne Ford broke Women’s 4x100m Freestyle 280+ on the final day with a time of 6:31:00.

Jane Asher, of Kings Cormorant, also enjoyed a successful meet.

She claimed two world records of her own in the 200m Freestyle, 91-95 in a time of 3:52.96 on the final day after her day two record in the 100m freestyle (90-94) with a time of 1:46.18.

Helen Gorman, City of Cardiff, broke a world record in the Women’s 200m breaststroke (50-54) in a time of 2:44.66.

Harrogate’s Mixed 4x200m Freestyle Relay (x240) team also put a new world record to their names.

The team of Stephen Allen, Julie Hoyle, Karen Graham, Nicholas Parkes swam a 9:49.76 to set a new best in the event.

Fantastic atmosphere

Eddie Riach, Chair of the Scottish Swimming Masters Committee, was delighted about the way the meet went.

He said: “It’s gone well. I think all the visitors that have come have enjoyed it.

“I know that there’s been some trouble with the journey for some, but the number of records that have been broken are really encouraging.

“Because of the two-year gap out with Covid, a lot of people haven’t had the opportunity to measure themselves competitively, so the amount of records is fantastic.

“The atmosphere round the pool has been fantastic too, the community and the camaraderie is there for all to see, especially in the relays!”

Riach believes the success of the meet shows promising signs for where the sport is going.

“You can see that the sport is growing, and the number of swimmers are growing – and that’s without us really having anything in place to do that.

“It just shows that the potential is there.”

You can see the full reports from each day of the weekends racing here.

All results are available on the Swim Scotland Website.

Full list of new British Masters Championships records

Day one records

World Records

  • Amanda Heath (Spencer Swim Team) 200m breaststroke (65-69) 3:12.63
  • Helen Gorman (City of Cardiff) 200m breaststroke (50-54) 2:44.66
  • Mixed 4x100m medley (Spencer Swim Team X240 -Greg Kahn, Amanda Heath, Clive Benson, Esther Iseppi) 4:52.45

European Records

  • Julie Hoyle (Harrogate) 100m backstroke (60-64) 1:16.63
  • Erland Alstad  (Norway) 400m IM (55-59) 5:18.05
  • Alyson Fordham (Bishop Stortford) 50m freestyle (66-69) 31.13
  • Michael Hodgson (Woking) 50m freestyle (55-59) 25.44
  • Mixed 4x100m medley (Woking X200 – Michelle Ware, Michael Hodgson, David Bryant, Jennie Clark) 4:36.62
  • Women’s 4x200m freestyle (Gateshead & Whickham W240 – Judith Pearson, Verity Dobbie, Joan Edwards, Muala Muir-Cochrane) 10:53.41

British Records

  • Greg Kahn (Spencer Swim Team) 100m backstroke (50-54) 1:03.84
  • Christopher Jones (City of Cardiff) 200m breaststroke (40-44) 2:24.03
  • Meghan Byrne (Barnet Copt) 400m IM (20-24) 5:06.20
  • Helen Sadler (Trafford Metro) 50m freestyle (50-54) 28.43
  • Michael Hodgson (Woking) 100m freestyle (55-59) 57.37
  • Men’s 4x200m freestyle (City of Sheffield M200 – Jonathan Saunders, Timothy Gleeson, Ian Swift, Jamie McHale) 9:09.29
  • Mixed 4x100m freestyle (Woking X200 – Michelle Ware, Michael Hodgson, David Bryant, Jennie Clarke) 4:06.56
  • Men’s 4x50m freestyle relay (Warrender Baths Club M240 – Jason Kenney, Ian McKay, Keith Johnston, Mark Jones) 1:52.58

Day Two Records

World Records

  • Jane Asher (King’s Cormorants) 100m freestyle (90-94) 1:46.18
  • Mixed 4x200m freestyle relay (Harrogate X240 – Stephen Allen, Julie Hoyle, Karen Graham, Nicholas Parkes) 9:49.76

European Records

  • Alec Johnson (Trafford Metro) 50m backstroke (60-64) 31.18
  • Julie Hoyle (Harrogate) 200m backstroke (60-64) 2:46.79
  • Michael Hodgson (Woking) 50m butterfly (55-59) 27.02
  • Lindsey Gowland (Black Country & Potteries) 50m butterfly (65-69) 35.27
  • Elizabeth Wooner (Team Anglia) 50m butterfly (55-59) 31.36
  • Helen Gorman (City of Cardiff) 200m IM (50-54) 2:33.61
  • Mixed 4x50m medley relay (Spencer Swim Team X240 – Greg Khan, Amanda Heath, Clive Benson, Esther Iseppi) 2:13.19 (equalled existing record)

British Records

  • Michael Hodgson (Woking) 100m breaststroke (55-59) 1:11.87
  • Amanda Heath (Spencer Swim Team) 100m breaststroke (65-69) 1:30.52
  • Greg Kahn (Spencer Swim Team) 50m backstroke (50-54) 29.13 (lead off leg in relay)
  • Dominic Wooldridge (Exeter University) 200m butterfly (25-29) 2:09.39
  • Amanda Heath (Spencer Swim Team) 200m butterfly (65-69) 3:28.48
  • Alyson Fordham (Bishop Stortford) 100m freestyle (65-69) 1:10.53
  • Michael Hodgson (Woking) 50m backstroke (55-59) 30.29
  • Victoria Reading (Northampton) 50m backstroke (35-39) 31.11
  • Amanda Heath (Spencer Swim Team) 200m backstroke (65-69) 3:14.31
  • Alec Johnson (Trafford Metro) 50m butterfly (60-64) 28.65
  • Judith Pearson (Gateshead & Whickham) 50m butterfly (60-64) 33.00
  • David Bryant (Woking) 200m IM (60-64) 2:37.03
  • Men’s 4x50m medley relay (Warrender Baths Club M240 – Jason Kenney, Mark Jones, Ian McKay, Keith Johnston) 2:11.42
  • Women’s 4x100m freestyle relay (Gateshead & Whickham W240 – Judith Pearson, Verity Dobbie, Joan Edwards, Nuala Muir-Cochrane) 5:01.47
  • Mixed 4x50m medley relay (Spencer Swim Team X240 – Greg Khan, Amanda Heath, Clive Benson, Esther Iseppi) 2:13.19

Day Three Records

World Records

  • Spencer (Helen Trippe, Amanda Heath, Esther Iseppi, Diane Ford) Women’s 4x100m Freestyle, Women’s 280+, 6:31
  • Jane Asher (Kings Cormorant) 200m Freestyle, 91-95, 3:52.96

European Records

  • Gateshead & Whickham (Nuala Muir-Cochrane, Verity Dobbie, Judith Pearson, Joan Edwards), Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay, Women’s 240+, 5:37,27
  • Greg Kahn (Spencer), 100m Backstroke (in relay), 50-54 1:03.48

British Records

  • Preston (Thomas Gilroy, Dean Heaps, Stephen Marshall, Luke Pool), 4x100m Men’s Medley Relay, Men’s 100-119, 4:08.07
  • City of Sheffield (Timothy Gleeson, Ian Swift, Jamie McHale, Jonathan Saunders), 4x100m Men’s Medley Relay, 4:32.81
  • Alyson Fordham (Bishop Stortford), 65-69, 200m Freestyle, 2:43.59
  • Julie Hoyle (Harrogate), 60-64, 200m Freestyle, 2:29.95
  • Karen Graham (Harrogate), 55-59, 200m Freestyle, 2:24.20
  • Michael Hodgson (Woking), 55-59, 50m Breaststroke, 31:87
  • Nicola Latty (Holywell), 50-54, 100m Butterfly, 1:11.81
  • Elizabeth Woolner (Team Anglia), 55-59, 100m Butterfly, 1:12.77
  • Alec Johnson (Trafford Metro), 60-64, 100m Butterfly, 1:08.16
  • Michael Hodgson (Woking), 55-59, 100m Butterfly, 1:03.37
  • Nicola Latty (Holywell), 50-54, 800m Freestyle, 10:11.25

Images: Scottish Swimming, see the full album here.

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