Bishop’s Stortford Swimming Club members win 18 medals at British Masters Championships

Lizzie Bellinger produced a record-breaking swim on her way to three individual medals at the British Masters Championships.

The Bishop’s Stortford Swimming Club member set a new British masters record by clocking 1min 8.54sec in her gold medal-winning performance in the 100m butterfly.

Bellinger, who competes in the 45-49 age group, also secured gold in the 50m butterfly as well as a silver medal in the 200m individual medley.

The Herts and Essex High School PE teacher was one of eight Stortford athletes in action at the London Aquatics Centre.

They bagged 18 medals in total - 12 gold, three silver and three bronze. Stortford finished 16th overall out of more than 200 clubs.

Niamh James (18-24) made the top of the podium in the 200m backstroke, 200m breaststroke and 200m IM.

Also clinching a trio of gold medals, in the 25-29 age category, was Lucy Wheeler as she won the 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle.

There were two gold medals for Sally Winter thanks to her successes in both the 100m and 200m freestyle in her 65-69 section.

And there was a silver 200m butterfly medal for Jake Lloyd (30-34) along with bronze medals in both the 100m butterfly and 200m freestyle.

Stortford enjoyed further success in the relays, with two more gold medals as well as a silver and bronze being claimed.

James, Callum Davis, Lloyd and Wheeler teamed up to win the mixed 4x50m medley (72 years +) and the same quartet took top spot in the mixed 4x100m freestyle for the same age category.

Lloyd, Davis, Matt McLaughlin and Geoff Short came together to earn silver in the men’s 4x100m medley (120 years +).

And Bellinger, Winter, McLaughlin and Short joined forces for a bronze medal in the mixed 4x50m freestyle (160 years +).

The British Masters Championships is the highest level of domestic masters swimming in Great Britain. The event, which takes place in a long-course 50m pool, rotates between England, Scotland and Wales each year.