Strobridge warms up for Melbourne in fine style

GAIL STROBRIDGE is in outstanding form ahead of the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. The Beau Sejour Barracuda, who is currently at university in Southampton, set three island long-course records when she competed at the Student Nationals at Ponds Forge Pool in Sheffield.

Competing against swimmers from England, Scotland and Wales, her first new Guernsey-best standard came in the 400m individual medley in which she clipped five seconds off her previous record with a lifetime best of 5min. 00.52sec.

She excelled in the 200m butterfly by knocking three seconds of Michelle Bingham's long-standing record dating back to 1994 when she produced a time of 2-22.93.

Strobridge then went on to complete the first leg of the women's 4x100m freestyle in which her time, which is officially recorded for the first leg only in a relay, of 59.23sec. broke her own previous island mark.

In all, she competed in six events for Southampton University picking up third-place honours in the 200m and 400m individual medleys and finishing fourth in the 200m butterfly.

'These results are extremely encouraging for Gail as she prepares herself for Melbourne while coping with the demands of her university studies,' said Barracudas coach Alison Frankland, who is also the Guernsey swim team manager for the Commonwealth Games.

'She is a very experienced, disciplined swimmer and is well aware of the commitment she must make to her training in order to swim well in Melbourne.'