Share your love of swimming - Get info on training to become a swim teacher from just £79

Titles up for grabs as Brits jet out to 18th FINA World Masters Championships

More than 100 Brits have travelled to South Korea to take part in the 18th FINA World Masters Swimming Championships.

The swimming competition gets underway on Monday 12 August at the Nambu International Aquatics Centre.

Verity Dobbie is one of the 119 Great Britain athletes who have made the journey to Gwangju for the event.

And she believes there could be a number of world titles and medallists heading back to the UK.

Dobbie, who has entered the 50m and 800m Freestyle plus the 50m, 100m and 200m Breaststroke in the 60-64 age group, said: “The heat sheets suggest that the 119 British Swimmers making the journey should provide a healthy number of podium finishes.

“There is also the potential for a good haul of British gold medalists.

Fun week of competition

“Traditionally, the women are a strong force and Guildford’s Lynda Coggins and Michelle Ware both go into the championships seeded to take a number of world titles, as does Cardiff’s Helen Gorman, Hollywell’s Nicola Latty and Spencer’s Diane Ford.

“Ford’s team-mate Amanda Heath and Otter’s Hayley Davis also hold number one rankings.

“On the men’s side, if Mike Hodgson from Guildford and Guernsey’s Thomas Hollingsworth swim to form they should also capture a number of titles apiece.

“Butterfly specialist Graeme Milne is ranked number one in the 50m and 100m and Spencer’s Jack Marriott sits at the top of the 25 years age group for the 50m Butterfly.

“It’s not surprising that Guildford also look odds on favourite to retain their 200 years relay titles from 2017 and Spencer should prove too strong for the opposition in the older age groups.

“Favourable early reports from the pool and athletes’ village suggest that we should be in for an exciting, successfully and fun week of competition.”

Top