Swim England Masters National Championships - World Record + European and British Records

Woking Masters claimed a World Record at the 2024 Swim England Masters National Championships!

The team of four, which consisted of swimmers ranging in age from 27 to 57, set a time of 3:42.80 in the 160+ mixed 4x100m freestyle.

Gina Heyn, Michelle Ware, Michael Hodgson and Henry Goodlud beat the previous World Record by over three seconds, with Heyn leading the team out in a new European Record of 57.85 seconds.

Reflecting on the race, Goodlud, who swam the final leg for Woking, said: ‘Touching my hand on the wall and seeing that we had broken the world record - and by a considerable margin - was simply euphoric’

‘To do it with this team, who are some of my closest friends, was extra special for me.’

The Woking Masters squad saw success throughout the weekend, claiming seven British records, four European records, 24 gold, 7 silver and 7 bronze medals in varies events and age groups.

Day one of racing in Sheffield started with the 1500m freestyle, where Patrick Allen finished in the top ten of his age group.

Medals swiftly followed, with Jamie Cunningham, Hodgson, Heyn and Ware all claiming gold in the 50m butterfly.

Diving into the pool after them in the 100m breaststroke was Goodlud, who swam impressive personal best to claim gold, Heyn, with a new British record, Hodgson (gold medal) and Lynda Coggins (gold medal).

Strong swims from Alex Smith, Ware, Hodgson and Heyn resulted in a 4x50 mixed freestyle team gold medal, along with British and European records in the 160+ age category.

A further 4x50 mixed freestyle relay medal was grabbed by Max Freedman, Kieran Hodson Kilroy, Alice Reeves-Turner and Jennie Clarke in the 100+ age group.

Records fell to Woking in the 200m IM, where Goodlud claimed his first ever individual British Record and Heyn took her first individual European Record of the meet.

The 100m freestyle, in which Ware claimed a British Record, Cunningham and Smith claimed gold, Hodgson silver and Barnaby Rudd a new personal best, wrapped up the first day of racing at Ponds Forge.

Day two of the 2024 Swim England Masters National Championships 2024 kick started with a European Record for Ware, David Bryant, Hodgson and Heyn in the 200+ 4x100 mixed medley relay.

Woking added to their collection of individual medals in the 50m breaststroke, with Heyn coming away with a British record alongside a gold medal, Goodlud with his third gold medal of the weekend, and Coggins with a silver medal.

Yet another British Record fell to Heyns in the 100m IM, with teammates Ware and Coggins claiming medals.

Relay success continued into day two where both the men’s 100+ and 200+ 4x50m freestyle team claimed silver, the men’s 4x100m freestyle team took bronze in a time under World Record pace and the 4x50m mixed medley 160+ team conquered a British Record, with Ware leading out in a new 50m backstroke European record.

The afternoon session saw Heyn, Ware, Smith and Hodgson all take gold in the 50m freestyle, and Rudd swim his first ever sub 30 second in the event.

Additional bronze medals were won by Clarke and Coggins in the 100m backstroke.

Mark Tuddenham (gold) and Rudd (40 second PB) wrapped up the days racing with the 800m freestyle.

It wasn’t long before Woking masters were once again dominating the pool on day three of racing; both the men’s 100+ and 120+ teams secured bronze medals in the 4x50m medley and Coggins was awarded silver in the 200 breaststroke.

The standout performance from the weekend came from Julie Howe who, at just three months postpartum, raced and won silver in an event only the bravest of swimmers dare to compete in the 400m IM!

Her newborn daughter Axelle was cheering her on from the stands. She said: ‘It felt like I’d already won just by being there’, ‘Seeing my baby on poolside just before diving in for the 400IM was the best feeling’, ‘I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the team!’

Heyn and Rudd finalised Woking’s weekend of racing in the 400m freestyle, with Heyn walking away from the event with a gold medal and Rudd with a new PB.

Congratulations to all swimmers who took part and huge thanks to all the coaching team for their support this past year.

 A fantastic weekend of racing all around.