11,000 mature swimmers descended on the Olympic pool in Stratford, London for the European Masters Champs. Never before had so many athletes of varying skills and fitness entered the event.
So many entered that the entries closed after 2 days only to be reopened again if we all agreed to reduce our swims from 5 to 3 individual events and to use the warm up pool forcompetition too.
The first 2 days were a shambles with a number of athletes missing their events when they weren’t allowed into the pool to swim. Fortunately, organisation improved thereafter and although the venue was really too small for so many swimmers, the competition ploughed on, with the teams on Saturday finishing at 1 am Sunday morning.
Marlins sent a team of nine swimmers for this once in a lifetime experience:
Mike Brett 3rd in 200+ Mixed Freestyle team for Nottingham Leander in a British record
7th in Mens 200+ Free team in British record
7th in 50 Back 31.40 [fastest Brit]
8th in 50 Fly 28.44 [fastest Brit]
7th and 9th in 2 more teams and 25th in 50 Free
Gavin Brookes Long course PB in 100 Free
Ady Brown 100 Fly and East Midlands masters record in 200 Fly 3:19.60
Steve Dymond Long course PB in 50 Fly and 100 Free
Caroline Kearley Long course PB in 50 Breast
Sarah McGraw Overall PB in 50 Breast 47.69 (by 2 seconds!)
Robert Rantzen Long course PB’s in 50 Back and 50 Breast, overall PB in 100 Fly 1:08.81
Jack Rhodes 50 Fly & 100 Free, and overall PB in 100 Fly 1:07.47
Chris Weeds Long course PB in 200 Back, 400 Free and 800 Free
Most of us managed to meet up at the Jamie Oliver pasta house nearby for a celebratory meal on the Thursday evening which turned out to be a cracking celebration of a great few days. We have all now competed at this wonderful venue that hosted the Olympic Games 2012. Next stop Alfreton for the BMSC Summer Sprints!
Well done to all who swam.
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