Swimming: Island competitor sets new European and British record

Sophie Casson part of trio which took on masters national championships

An Isle of Man swimmer has set a new European and British record whilst involved in UK competition.

Sophie Casson was one of three local competitors, alongside Gaby Cooper and Sean McLaughlin, taking on this year's Swim England Masters National Championships at Ponds Forge in Sheffield from 23-25 October.

In the Women's 200m Freestyle on Friday, 23 October, Casson stormed to victory in the 40-44 age group race with a time of two minutes, 5.11 seconds which broke the European and British benchmarks for that race category and was only 0.05 seconds off world record pace.

A day later (24 October), Casson added to her honours by claiming gold in both the Women's 400m Freestyle and Women's 800m Freestyle 40-44 age class races.

Meanwhile, Cooper and McLoughlin also began their campaigns at the meeting on Friday, 23 October with Cooper taking silver in the Women's 200m Backstroke 45-49 age group in two minutes, 41.59 seconds whilst McLaughlin came home fourth in the Men's 200m Backstroke 55-59 age bracket in two minutes, 33.43 seconds.

Both of their respective times were also new masters personal bests for that discipline.

Cooper and McLaughlin then also set new personal bests again on Saturday, 24 October in their respective 100m Backstroke events with Cooper registering one minute, 14.80 seconds and McLaughlin clocking one minute, 10.99 seconds.

The duo were then back in the pool on the last day on Sunday, 25 October - Cooper set PB's once more, this time in the Women's 50m Backstroke (33.64 seconds) and Women's 100m Freestyle (one minute, 5.25 seconds) with McLaughlin securing another PB in the Men's 100m Freestyle in a time of one minute, 2.49 seconds.

More generally, all three Isle of Man swimmers involved in the meeting are part of a six-strong 'pilot' group of masters swimmers currently training on Island.

Two of the other pilot group members, Nial Killey and James Wright, also set new personal bests last weekend whilst competing separately in the Utmost IOM SA Future Stars meet at the NSC in Douglas last Saturday (24 October).