Huge congratulations the BSSC Masters who were in action at the GoCardless Swim England Masters National Championships in Sheffield over the weekend of 26th-27th October.
The team did amazingly, walking away with 19 medals: 12 gold, 5 silver and 2 bronze.
Huge congratulations to medal winners Niamh, Lizzie, Lucy, Alyson, Callum, Jake and Annabelle.
Highlights from the weekend include an entire podium of swims in the women’s 100m Individual Medley with medals across the age groups, and the relay dream team of Callum, Lucy, Niamh and Jake taking gold in the 4 x 100m Mixed Freestyle and Medley relays.
Full results – top-three places:
- Niamh James – gold 200m backstroke, gold 200m IM, bronze 100m IM, gold 200m breaststroke
- Lizzie Bellinger – gold 50m fly, silver 200m IM, silver 100m IM, gold 100m fly
- Alyson Fordham – gold 100m freestyle, silver 50m breaststroke, gold 100m IM, gold 50m freestyle, gold 100m backstroke
- Lucy Wheeler – gold 200m freestyle, silver 100m freestyle
- Jake Lloyd – silver 200m fly
- Annabelle Wright – bronze 400m freestyle
Relays:
Gold 4 x 100m mixed medley relay (Niamh James, Callum Davis, Jake Lloyd and Lucy Wheeler)
Gold 4 x 100 mixed freestyle relay (Lucy Wheeler, Niamh James, Jake Lloyd, Callum Davis)
Poolside commentary from Assistant Head Coach Joe Collins!
Read on for Assistant Head Coach Joe’s blog detailing all the action from the weekend’s racing:
Niamh kicked off the racing on Friday with a gold in the 200m back. That was followed by Callum, Zara, Lucy and Lizzie’s 50 fly, with everyone swimming an amazing time and Lizzie taking the gold!
Niamh came out of Friday with another gold in the 200m IM, Lizzie clinching a second medal – this time silver in the event – and Jake narrowly missing out on the podium coming 4th.
The 100m free saw Meg set a new masters PB for herself, and Zara just missing out on hers. Callum too swum just over his masters PB that he set the year before at Masters Nationals ’23. Friday was closed out by Alyson and Lucy in the 100m free finishing 1st and second respectively.
Alyson was up early for the 50m breaststroke, taking yet another gold which led us nicely into the 200m free, where we got to watch Annabelle and Jake racing at the same time in opposite pools, both swimmers finishing in the top 10 and Jake just missing out on his sub 2 minute target in a time of 2.00.82. Lucy had her 200m free a few heats later, where she added herself to the list of BSSC gold medalists in the individuals.
We completed a podium’s worth of swims in the Women’s 100m IM across the age groups, with Alyson in 1st, Lizzie in 2nd & Niamh taking 3rd.
The end of Saturday saw Callum and Jake both do a far better job than I have proven I could in the 200m fly, Jake coming away with the silver.
We then went onto the 50m free with Lucy being a hair’s breadth from 26s when she swum a 27.01. We were hit with an Alyson, 1-2 of 1st place swims in both the 50m & 100m back.
Sunday started off with yet another 200m, this time the breaststroke and yet another gold for Niamh in it, after swimming a 2 second PB (putting it down to the lucky swimsuit)! Jake and Callum both then took on the Men’s 100m fly, with both breaking the minute mark in times of 59 & 58 respectively. Annabelle and Lizzie were our Women’s fly swimmers, both swimming a 1.10, with that earning Lizzie herself another gold.
The last session of the weekend included Annabelle’s huge 400m free swim, hitting her target dead on in a time of 4 minutes 50 and we concluded with Zara’s 50 back almost achieving SB for herself.
In terms of the relays, everyone came away with some amazing splits (if I’m allowed to say so myself). Contributing to top 10 finishes in all 4 relays for the 72+ age group. The dream team of Lucy, Callum, Niamh & Jake walking away with the gold in the 4x100m Mixed Medley & Free, retaining the
gold they won in the free last year (can they/will they make it 3 in a row next year?)…
