Lowndes and Butt set new records at GSC 200m event

THE Guernsey Swimming Club's 200m Championships saw only two new records set - Ben Lowndes in the butterfly and Matthew Butt in the breaststroke. Commonwealth Games hopeful Lowndes was really up against only the clock. The club championships' times are not recognised by the selection panel, as they are not designated, but Lowndes felt the need to put in a good performance to show consistency with his times.

Despite swimming with a heavy cold, he clocked 2min. 05.99sec., a new championship record and just 0.08sec. off the Commonwealth consideration standard.

In the breaststroke, 13-year-old Butt took the only other record to clock in a time of 2-52.49, shaving 3.5sec. off the previous mark.

Lowndes claimed all three senior titles in the breaststroke, butterfly and individual medley, as did Butt in his age group of 12/13 years.

In the 11-and-under girls' breaststroke, Sophie Lythgoe took first place and in a closely fought 200m IM with Ellie Ogier, both clocking in at 3-13, it was Sophie's 0.61 that secured first place to Ogier's 0.79. Luke Winberg won the boys' event.

Seventeen-year-old Christine Hume and 13-year-old Heather Chapman won their races, with the latter also claiming the breaststroke title.

Another double winner was Fay Sheppard in the butterfly and IM.

The 50m novice butterfly race saw 10-year-olds Nicole Hewlett and Pierce Gregory take the winning times of 44.31 and 43.75.