Masters impressing at Billingham Forum masters gala.
24 Mar 2019
The Masters swimming seasons tends to run from year to year instead of a September start so last weekend at Billingham was the curtain raiser for many Masters in the North East. Age groupers getting bigger and stronger every year have the excitement of watching Pb's reguilarly tumble. Masters start their year hoping they haven't lost a few seconds as age catches up with them!!!!
Happily this wasn't the case for our Tynemouth Masters Team last weekend which bodes well for the season ahead.
John North and Phil Aldridge both taking time off their previous bests. Although very strong swims from both; it was John who stole the show taking his 100m Freestyle time to 1:07.63! A most impressive result and new life best for the popular Tynemouth stalwart. A solid 200 Free followed.
Phil took nearly 3 seconds off his previous best time in the 200 Free, a great achievement as he battles to stay ahead of his younger daughter's times! That final swim of the day made even more impressive as he had already swam very good swims on the 50 Free, 50 Breast, and 100 Free earlier that day.
Jim Carr was also having a go in the afternoon session with 3 swims in quick succession, training toward Scottish nationals in April, Jim had a reminder that at 38 racing in the middle of solid training doesn't agree with him! A good swim in the 100 Fly with a 63.27 (lane 6 in video below), his 100 and 200 Free swims were effectively a training session!!
It was a superb debut from Ross Anderson. Ross who like many of our Masters, has a great youngster in the club and as an ex age grouper himself knows what it's all about. Looking like powerful shorter distance man, Ross clocked 29.91 in the 50 Free, 37.36 in the 50 Breast and 1:19.43 in the 100 IM. Well done Ross, welcome to Masters, lots more in the tank!
Peter Watts our oldest Masters member but not being outdone by any of the young whipper snappers set 2 club records in the 65-69 age cat. with a 45.38 in 50 Fly and 1:41.14 in the 100IM. Inspirational stuff.
Thank you to the hosts Billingham ASC and all the amazing volunteers that help to make it a great event. It is always a very enjoyable start to the season for many of our swimmers each year.
Click here for the results - Billingham Masters.
The season moves quickly on to Scottish Nationals, April 19th/20th. This is one of the main events of the year and Tynemouth will again be well represented. Enter the Scottish Nationals here - become a Tynemouth Masters Legend
