Masters' age is reduced to just 19

A NEW generation of swimmers will join the old hands in what promises to be another record-breaking Masters meet. The Guernsey Swimming Club has introduced a new age group for 19- to 24-year-olds for March's event.

This brings it into line with other major Masters competitions around the world, which have added this to the usual over-25 limit.

'The object in introducing this new age group into Masters swimming competition is so there is continuity to take part in competitions after swimmers have left school after which they often have far less time in which to train,' said event organiser John Eyre.

Once again, records will be there to be broken.

The never-ageing Jane Asher, from London, will take part again and is going for the 200m butterfly world record. This year she has entered the 75-to-79-year category but she started competing here at the first Guernsey meet in 1992.

Carol Fellows, 60, who set a world record in the 50m freestyle in Guernsey five years ago, also makes a return.

Local favourite Roger Allsopp will try to keep up with Tony Cherrington and former Spanish Olympian Joaquin Canales de Mendoza in the 65-to-69 age group.

But Eyre said he hoped that the meet was as much about the younger swimmers as the veterans.

'Hopefully, the 19- to 24-year-olds will not be put off by these swimmers, since there will be plenty of 20 and 30-somethings.'

The new event sponsor, One Complete Solution, an international family business employing 150 people in Guernsey, is best known to sports fans for involvement in cricket and sponsored a new stand at the Oval in time for last summer's Ashes series.

The meet takes place from Friday 24 to Sunday 26 March.