Here’s the stats…

14 first places

Justin and Harry, 3 each

Kath and Ian, 2 a piece With Ian setting a new Staffs record in the 200 Free 2:19.16!

Sharon and Roger both gained a 1st place

The 200+ Ladies Freestyle (Kath Justin Caitlin Sharon) won

The 160+ Mixed Medley (Ian Justin Harry and Sharon) won with a new club record time of 2.18.47

In addition the 160+ Ladies Medley ( Kath Justine Caitlin Di) set a new club record time of 2.35.20

Well done Justin you seemed to be a the heart of … everything!

At the 2023 short course Masters Nationals in Sheffield nine Black Country n Potteries swimmers competed. They didn’t come home empty handed winning two relay events and six golds, two silvers and four bronze medals in individual events.

The 4 x 50 Female Medley Team: Jen Powell, Justine Doody, Lindsey Gowland and Barbara Boxall won the 240 plus race, beat all the 200 plus teams, and set a new club record!

The 4 x 50 Female Freestyle squad of Sharon Evans, Kath Tunnicliffe, Jen Powell and Lindsey Gowland had stiff opposition but managed a second victory in the same age group in another club record time.

Individual honours:

• Gold Kath (5) Lindsey (2)
• Silver Lindsey (2)
• Bronze Barbara (2) Athene (2)

Whilst, with some confidence, I can say we had 13 individual wins, this does not equate to Midlands champions as several of our swimmers were beaten by athletes from outside the region, and would have medalled as district champions.

Can’t be sure I can accurately report individual championship performance so I’ll highlight the Staffordshire County Record breakers (subject to ratification)

Congratulations to all, particularly Ian who produced some excellent swims!

Our relay teams included all squad members, and came in 2nd and 3rd in their respective age groups.

Our 160+ teams:                                   
Medley = Leah, Justine, Martyn, Ian H
Freestyle = Leah, Jen, Martyn, Ian H set club record’s, as  it’s the first time we’ve managed to field a squad in this age group

Our own club member Tony Ward played a significant role in the Allianz World Para Swimming Championships in Manchester from 31 July to 6 August.

As Technical Delegate he was one of the chief organisers and was given the honour of presenting five sets of medals on Day Five of the world event. Our club chair Caroline Jones also helped out as an NTO.

In preparing for the meet Tony was involved in coordinating the staging, lighting, TV camera’s, commercial branding and the important work of para classification.  

The competition involved nearly 550 competitors from 67 Counties and  resulted in the setting of 22 New World Records and 168 Championship or Regional Records. 

No rest for Tony his next trip is already booked … the World Para Series in Egypt this November.

Black Country n Potteries Swimmer Kath, 71, scooped six world titles at the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka Japan.

Kath won gold in the 70–74 years 200 and 100 backstroke, 100 and 50 freestyle, the mixed 280–319 years Medley and Freestyle Relays, with a Silver in the 50m backstroke.

Competing for Spencer they set two British and a European record in their relay victories. Kath also set an improved her own mark in breaking the British Record in the 200 back.

Just three Black Country n Potteries Masters Swimmers made the British Long Course Championships in Sheffield on the first weekend in June. Between them they collected 11 medals.

In the 70-74 yr age group Kath achieved wins in all three backstroke distances (50/100/200) along with wins in the 50 and 100 freestyle.

25 year old Sadie Turner reached silver in highly competitive 50, 100 free and 50 fly races, two of her swims were lifetime bests, and she claims the improvement is just because of weight training!

Lindsey Gowland has had a bit of a layoff and her two silver and one bronze suggested she’s getting back to form.

Next racing for club swimmers is the Calverton and Bingham meet next weekend, and there’s still time to enter Stockport on 15th July.

Eleven Black Country n Potteries Masters performed at Wolverhampton in the Shropshire County Masters on May 21st.

Between them they combined to win 18 individual titles, set 8 Staffs County Records and win both the 120+ Mixed Freestyle and 200+ Mixed Medley relay events.

The record breakers were:

1500 Freestyle

• 45-49 Diane Asbury*  22.28.45
• 55-59 Craig Edwards  22.50.12
• 65-69 Martyn Finney  25.36.11

800m Freestyle

• 45-49 Diane Asbury*  11.42.78
• 55-59 Craig Edwards 12.04.88

400m Freestyle

• 35-39 David Blakemore 6.02.24
• 50-54 Justine Doody 5.23.36

400 IM

• 40-44 Athene Brown 7.04.09

* Diane is considered (by me … Kath) to be THE swimmer of the meet with two outstanding ‘personal best’ performances (anyone would think she’s training for a channel swim!!!!!!)

PS Justine, consider yourself runner up, brilliant 400m swim to beat your own county record!

For many the Staffs Masters at Stafford provided the first opportunity of the season to compete.

Sixteen Black Country n Potteries members took part, with newcomers Roger, Ian, David, Steve and Athene swelling the ranks, and Sharon making a welcome return following a lengthy absence from the pool events.

Martyn Finney and Lionel Spittle led the successes, with Martyn claiming 3 new Staffs records and 3 wins, Lionel set 3 new records and provided 2 wins. New recruit, Roger Crannage made the record administrator open a new age group category, as the nimble 83 year won 2 events, both were recorded as county records in a newly created 80-85 year old age group. Another newbie, Ian Hicks showed his form by winning 2 events and setting a new 100m IM county record.

Jacq Mann led the women’s successes with 2 wins and 2 records, with Justine and Kath both lowering their own records set last year. Diane (6) and Justine (5) racked up a host of events each towards the prestigious National Women’s Decathlon competition.

BCPM relays teams provided another 4 wins, bringing the grand total to 26 county championship titles. Not a bad day at the office!