A number of Hemel’s Masters competed in the annual Herts ASA Masters Championships at Borehamwood last weekend with a cluster of PBs and top three places rewarding their hard training.
Dave Pirrie took gold medals in the 100m IM and the 50m breaststroke. Sian MacDonald almost matched him with a gold in the breaststroke and a second spot in the 100m IM.
Newcomer Anna Belsey was Hemel’s other gold medallist, winning the 50m butterfly.
Kevin McKenna claimed the most top three finishes with silver in the 100m IM and 50m backstroke and bronze in the 50m butterfly.
Andrew Power took silver and bronze in the 100mIM and 50m backstroke respectively.
Head Coach Charles Dainton made his annual jaunt in the water look easy with a silver and a bronze in the 50m breaststroke and 50m freestyle.
Mark Ayres came third in the 100m IM.
As ever, Hemel’s swimmers pulled together to put on an impressive show in the relays. The men’s 4 x 25m freestyle team of Kevin McKenna, Andrew Power, Phillip Isles and Dave Pirrie touched home third.
Pam Ware swam the opening leg of the women’s 4 x 50m freestyle relay to give her team a comfortable lead, leaving Liz Sherriff, Sian MacDonald and Anna Belsey to stave off the opposition and claim victory.
There were high hopes too for the 4x25m mixed medley team. Kevin McKenna got them off to a strong start with the backstroke, Dave Pirrie made up more ground with his breaststroke leg, Pam put in a fast length of fly, leaving Anna Belsey to finish with a blinding freestyle leg, in which she closed the gap on St Albans Masters to touch home joint second.
Competing against some much larger Masters sections, Hemel’s swimmers finished in the overall team points a very respectable 5th out of 13. The training (and the nachos) clearly paid off!