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Spencer's relay team on top of the world

Masters News

Spencer’s Women’s 400m Medley Relay team are on top of the world after a record-breaking performance at the Swim England National Masters Championships.

Helen Trippe, Diane Ford, Amanda Heath and Jean Howard-Jones broke the world record in the 280+ years competition for Spencer at Sheffield’s Ponds Forge in a time of 6:12.44.

Three more European records were broken in the same event.

The 240+ years category was won by Mid Sussex, who were also the only competitors in their age group.

Kathy Bidnall, Judith McKerchar, Sally Mills and Jill Rocky clocked 5:36.12.

Team Anglia also set a new European record, this time in the 200+ years category.

The time of 5:02.65 was secured by Janet Williams, Lucy Ryan, Elizabeth Woolner and Helen Davis.

Spencer finished second in a time of 5:35.63, while B C and P Masters had to settle for third (5:55.83).

The third and final European record to fall in the Women’s 400m Medley Relay was in the 160+ years race.

Laure Kearns, Georgina Heyn, Susan Oltner and Elizabeth Tarr touched home in 4:35.01 for Teddington.

Second place went to Otter, with a time of 4:41.87, and the bronze went to Fareham Nomads (4:55.39).

In the Men’s equivalent, the 400m Medley Relay, East Leeds secured a British record after touching home in 3:54.18 in the 120+ years age group.

Their closest opponents were Out to Swim A, who clocked 4:08.43, while Brighton Dolphins finished third (4:17.27).

The final Medley team record came from Warrington M, who secured a new British best.

Christopher Rix, Ben Harkin, Trevor Eland and Russell Mason clocked 4:01.26.

Second place went to Kenilworth Masters SC (4:06.44) and third to Romford Town (4:16.97).

Reynolds makes his mark with second European record

Mark Reynolds secured his second European record of the day during the fifth session of the championships.

The Barnet Copthall Swimming Club swimmer made a great start in the Men’s 200m Freestyle 55-59 age group at Sheffield’s Ponds Forge and was more than two seconds clear after 50m.

He continued to stretch his lead and finished in 2:03.98 – almost 14 seconds clear of his nearest rival.

Michael Commons, of Loughborough, took the silver medal in a time of 2:17.10, while Stuart Williams, of Inverness, finished third (2:18.59).

Donald Leatherbarrow, of Gloucester M, secured yet another British record in the 80-84 category. He was the only swimmer in the age group and touched home in 3:05.57.

Two new British bests in women’s event

The Women’s 200m Freestyle race saw two British records fall.

The first was following Emma Wills’ 2:08.97 effort in the 35-39 age group.

The York City swimmer finished ahead of Laura Kearns, of Teddington, who touched home in 2:15.85, while Catherine Markwell (East Anglian) settled for bronze after clocking 2:20.99.

Joan Edwards, 60, also broke a record in the same event.

The Gates and Whick swimmer recorded a time of 2:30.69, while Alyson Fordham, of Romford Town, finished second in 2:33.53.

The bronze medal went to Laura Quye, of Hastings, with a  time of 2:36.86.

Snape snaps a record

The first record-breaking swim in session five came from Martin Snape in the Men’s 50m Backstroke 40-44 category.

The Silver City swimmer touched first in 27.42 ahead of Kenilworth M’s Neal Smith, who clocked 28.23.

Third place went to Michael Kerslake, of Carlton Forum, in a time of 28.30.

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