Lindsey Gowland and Kath Tunnicliffe competed in the European Masters Championships in Belgrade in June.
Lindsey gained Gold in the 65-69 yrs 50m Butterfly with Bronze in the 50m Freestyle.
Kath achieved a clean sweep of Golds in the three (50/100/200m) backstroke events for 70-74-year-olds with a couple of Bronzes on the 50 and 100m freestyle.
Black Country n Potteries member Tony Ward has been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to swimming and para swimming.
Tony is a wicked Masters pool competitor who took a European team record back in 1997 and has also taken part in European and World championships. He has many county masters records to his name.
Aside from competing, he is respected throughout the Masters community for the work he’s undertake with the national committee to develop the Masters Championships as an elite competition.
He also a major force officiating Paralympic swimming by overseeing the technical aspects of the competitions. He was appointed to the Paralympic Games in Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 as well as Paris 2024.
The club is delighted and proud of this deserved, prestigious recognition of Tony’s contribution to aquatic sports.
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!
Black Country n Potteries Masters were presented with the Major George Evans Memorial Trophy by Staffordshire County Swimming Association at The Staffs Masters in Stafford on April 14th 2024.
The presentation was made by President and BCPM member Tony Ward. The trophy is given by the county committee members to individuals, a group or club who’ve done something outstanding.
Black Country n Potteries were recognised for…
This weekend, Black Country n Potteries members took part in the West Midland Masters Championships, achieving 16 first-place finishes and four county records (subject to ratification).
Our first place finishers were:
Our new Staffordshire record holders are:
All you Staffs record holders are to be congratulated! You are amongst Olympians. Nick Gillingham set a Staffs 200 Breast stroke record in 2010 The same event he won World (short course), European and Commonwealth gold! AND I notice a gentleman who has joined us this year, Robert Pullan holds a 200 Fly Staffs Record set in 2008. Wonder when will we see him compete for BCPM?
Lionel has performed remarkably well since becoming a Guinness World Record holder with club mates Caroline and Di. Swimming the channel in a mixed relay has improved his times amazingly. He knocked 8 secs in 2 years from his 800m free time and 5 secs from his 200 free in just a year! Quite remarkable!
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:
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)
| 400 Free | 70+ Lionel Spittle | 6:33.45 |
| 65+ Martyn Finney | 6:41.78 | |
| 45+ Ian Hicks | 4:51.78 | |
| 50 Fly | 70+ Lionel Spittle | 0:51.79 |
| 200 IM | 45+ Ian Hicks | 2:35.02 |
| 200 Back | 45+ Ian Hicks | 2:32.09 |
| 100 Back | 80+ Roger Crannage | 2:30.92 |
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
Five members of Black Country n Potteries were part of two relay squads who swam the channel in August 2023.Â
The first of these crossed on August 20th, Brainwaves, and finished in a time of 12hrs 21mins, a Guinness World Record (to be officially confirmed) for the oldest four person mixed relay swim. This team included Chair of BCPM, Caroline Jones, Diane Asbury and Lionel Spittle.
Team bch had to wait nearly a week in Dover before heading off for a very impressive swim of 11hrs 59mins This squad included club members Martyn Finney and Paul Tucker.
Their efforts were all to raise desperately needed funds for The Brain Tumour Charity and Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
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. Â
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.Â
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.
Black Country n Potteries Masters Swimming Club 