Masters swimmers make their mark

Having developed the masters’ section over the last 12-18 months, nine West Norfolk Swimming Club members competed at the Norfolk meeting at the Norwich Sportspark.They brought home a massive haul of medals including two gold medals for the ladies in the freestyle and medley women’s relays and two silver medals for the men in their corresponding events.This ‘short and sweet’ gala was for a diverse group of masters swimmers from Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire with races over 50m on all four strokes, 100m freestyle, 100 individual medley and freestyle and medley relays.The various club teams of both male and female swimmers were aged from 18 to 78.The eight fastest swimmers from both the male and female 100 IM events qualified for the skins event.Skins is a knockout competition where the swimmers are given a random stroke to swim over 25m. The slowest two swimmers are knocked out, the race is repeated after three minutes until there is a winner.Sam Rose, Luke Bryan and Phil Baxter – three West Norfolk members – were among the overall eight who qualified for the event. Bryan went on to win the event. Other West Norfolk results Mens18-24 age group: Sam Rose, 21, gold in 100IM, 50 backstroke, 50 breaststroke, 100 freestyle and silver medals in 50 freestyle and both relays; Luke Bryan, 24, skins winner, silver medals in 50 breaststroke and both relays and bronze in 100 IM.35-39 age group: Will Wakefield, 35, silver in 100 IM, 50 breaststroke, 100 freestyle, both the relays and bronze in 50 freestyle.45-49 age group: Phil Baxter, 49, gold in 100 IM, 50 backstroke, 50 butterfly, 50 breaststroke, silver in 100 Freestyle and relays and bronze in 50 freestyle. Women’s 40-44 age group: Lucy Chadderton, 42, gold in 100IM, 50 freestyle, 50 backstroke, 50 breaststroke and freestyle relay; Jurate Smulkiene, 42, gold in the medley relay and bronze in 50 freestyle and 50 breaststroke.50-54 age group: Emma Simmonds, 51, gold in both relays, 50 freestyle, and 50 butterfly; Hayley Turner, 52, gold in both relays and 100 IM, silver in 50 freestyle, 50 breaststroke and 100 freestyle; Tracy Dodds, 54, gold in both relays and bronze in 50 butterfly.