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Unwanted firsts
for unlucky Rose
MARLINS MASTERS returned from the regional long course championships with 23 medals, including 11 golds, but also a couple of unwanted firsts for the vastly experienced Rose Dudeney.
Competing at the K2 in Crawley, Dudeney produced a brilliant club record 400m swim to finish second but then suffered her first ever disqualification – and then insult was added to injury when she was disqualified again in her next swim.
Dudeney, now competing in the 65-69 age category, was first eliminated from the 200m breaststroke because she had tape on her back supporting a slight muscle pull. Unlike most other sports, swimming does not permit the use of tape and being in an outside lane meant it was spotted by the referee.
The long-time masters swimmer was then disqualified from the 200m freestyle for starting too early.
On a more positive note, Mary Johnson (60-64) continued her good form by taking gold in the 50m freestyle and 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke, while Anthony Gimson went one better as he cashed in on being at the bottom end of his 75-79 age group.
Despite thin opposition, he was pleased to get a full set of freestyle golds and also one for the 200m IM. He also claimed club records in each as well as in the first leg of the IM, the 50m butterfly that counted in its own right.
The other individual gold came from Alex McCrae in the 30-34 100m breaststroke. She completed a full set of medals with silver in the 50m backstroke and bronze in the 50m fly.
Final gold medal came from the women’s 4x50m medley (160yrs) team of Johnson, Judith McKerchar, Clarissa Tilley and McCrae.
McKerchar was unlucky to have to settle for two silvers and a bronze despite smashing club records in all three breaststroke races.
The records were previously held by the club’s double Olympian Christine Parfect.
McKerchar is unfortunate to be born in the same year as the two best women breaststrokers in the country.
Also unlucky was David Hart (60-64) as he is unused to competing in 50m pools and mistook the false start rope, 15m from the finish, to be the 5m flags. He was in second place but virtually came to a halt before realising his mistake and finally had to settle for fourth place in the 50m backstroke. There was compensation later with third places in the 50m fly and 100m breaststroke.
Jackie Little continues to improve, taking 21 seconds off her club record 800m freestyle time for a well deserved silver, while Tilley (35-39) can train only once a week because of a young family but given a weekend off, she took one bronze medal from a busy schedule of six events.
Jenny Leach (55-59) and Jill Rocky (45-49) each collected a bronze in the 200m freestyle and 50m butterfly respectively but Bernard Rocky missed out despite swimming well in his three events.
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Weather for Haywards Heath
Sunday 27 May 2012
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Temperature: 10 C to 27 C
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Wind direction: South east
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