Sheffield hosted the annual Short Course Swim England Masters National Championships from 23 to 25 October 2026. More than 1,600 swimmers raced over three days, and seven world records were set. Spencer swimmers came home with 2 silver and 5 bronze medals in individual events, along with a long list of top-eight finishes. Spencer members racing for their other clubs added a huge haul of their own, including a world record.
The Swimmer’s Performances
Leading the way for Spencer, Ivan Nechunaev in the 35-39 age group sprinted to two silver medals in the 50m and 100m freestyle. In the 50-54 age group, John Fitzgerald took bronze in both the 50m and 100m backstroke and finished joint 4th in a tightly fought 100m butterfly.
Suzanne Maidment had a busy weekend in the 60-64 age group. She won bronze in the 200m and 400m freestyle and finished 5th in the gruelling 800m freestyle. She came agonisingly close to two more medals, finishing just one hundredth of a second off the podium in the 100m breaststroke and less than a tenth of a second away in the 200m breaststroke.
Godfrey Admans picked up a bronze in the 100m backstroke in the 70-74 age group and narrowly missed another medal with 4th in the 50m backstroke. He also finished in the top six in the 50m freestyle and 100m IM. Guy Emerson raced four events in the 60-64 age group, with two 5th places in the 50m and 100m backstroke and 7th in the 100m IM.
One of our newer members, Valentyna Foytlova, produced a strong 6th place in the 25-29 100m breaststroke field with an exceptional time of 1:16.62, as well as racing in the 50m breaststroke. Luca Milana took on some of the toughest events on the programme in the 50-54 age group and finished 4th in the 200m IM. Another relatively new member, Ragnar Agnell, also flew the Spencer flag in the highly competitive 55-59 100m freestyle, finishing 13th.
Swimming for other clubs, our very own superstar Amanda Heath, racing for Black Country and Potteries, won medals of every colour across 6 events. She is also no stranger to a record here and there – and helped her team break the world record in the Women’s 280+ 4×50m medley relay on the breaststroke leg. Fantastic work!
Elsewhere, Robyn Le Friec in the 35-39 age category flew to victory in the 100m and 200m butterfly and won silver in the 50m butterfly. She added a further 2 gold and 2 silver relay performances with City of Cambridge in the 120+ age group, across the 50m and 100m freestyle and medley relays.
Michael Read, swimming for City of Brighton and Hove in the 85-89 age group, won a medal in every one of his eight events, finishing with 4 golds and 4 silvers across freestyle and IM distances from 100m all the way up to 1500m. Alan Parkins of Crawley had a superb weekend in the 65-69 age group. He won three golds in the 50m butterfly, 100m butterfly and 50m backstroke, a silver in the 200m backstroke and two bronzes, plus four relay medals for Crawley.
Tony Cherrington, swimming for Gloucester Masters in the 80-84 age group, won gold in the 50m freestyle and silver in the 200m freestyle. He also helped Gloucester win two relay golds in the Men’s 280+ 4×50m freestyle and medley. Clive Benson of Hart took a fine silver in the 60-64 100m butterfly. Helen Freemantle of GB Police raced four events in the 30-34 age group, with top-seven finishes in both the 50m and 100m backstroke.
Excellent Weekend of Competition
It was a brilliant weekend for everyone connected with Spencer. There were medals across the age groups, fractions-of-a-second finishes, and a world record for one of our members. A huge well done to everyone who raced and thank you to everyone who cheered them on. If this has inspired you to get back into racing, or to try competing for the first time, please have a chat with any of the coaches or the committee. We’d love to help you take the plunge at our next competition!
Full Results
Swimming for Spencer:
Ivan Nechunaev 35-39. Silver 50m free (23.59), 100m free (52.82)
John Fitzgerald 50-54. Bronze 100m back (1:04.97), 50m back (29.40). Joint 4th 100m fly (1:03.46)
Suzanne Maidment 60-64. Bronze 200m free (2:39.63), 400m free (5:38.31). 4th 100m breast (1:37.92), 200m breast (3:35.34). 5th 800m free (11:33.92)
Godfrey Admans 70-74. Bronze 100m back (1:31.55). 4th 50m back (40.28). 6th 50m free (34.20), 100m IM (1:33.45)
Guy Emerson 60-64. 5th 100m back (1:16.43), 50m back (33.84). 7th 100m IM (1:17.69). 14th 50m free (29.55)
Valentyna Foytlova 25-29. 6th 100m breast (1:16.62). 12th 50m breast (35.33)
Luca Milana 50-54. 4th 200m IM. 12th 100m breast. 24th 100m free
Ragnar Agnell 55-59. 13th 100m free (1:04.14)
Spencer members swimming for other clubs:
Amanda Heath (Black Country and Potteries) 65-69. Gold 400m IM, 200m breast. Silver 50m breast, 100m breast, 200m IM. Bronze 200m free. Relay: gold and world record in the Women’s 280+ 4×50m medley
Robyn Le Friec (City of Cambridge) 35-39. Gold 100m fly (1:06.89), 200m fly (2:27.23). Silver 50m fly (30.44). Relays (Women’s 120+): gold in the 4×100m medley and 4×50m free, silver in the 4×100m free and 4×50m medley
Michael Read (City of Brighton and Hove) 85-89 Gold 400m free (8:48.32), 800m free (18:10.72), 200m IM (5:24.59), 400m IM (12:07.47). Silver 100m free (1:45.16), 200m free (4:02.02), 1500m free (34:39.43), 100m IM (2:30.40)
Alan Parkins (Crawley) 65-69 Gold 50m fly (32.57), 100m fly (1:18.16), 50m back (33.96). Silver 200m back (2:57.51). Bronze 100m back (1:17.80), 1500m free (21:15.13).4th 50m free (30.02), 400m free (5:23.58). Relays (240+): silver in the Men’s 4×100m medley, and bronze in the Men’s 4×100m free, Men’s 4×50m free and Mixed 4×50m free
Tony Cherrington (Gloucester Masters) 80-84 Gold 50m free (37.78). Silver 200m free (3:33.43). Relays (Men’s 280+): gold in the 4×50m free and 4×50m medley
Clive Benson (Hart) 60-64 Silver 100m fly (1:07.39). 10th 50m free (28.62)
Helen Freemantle (GB Police) 30-34 6th 50m back (32.79). 7th 100m back (1:12.20). 12th 100m free (1:04.90). 17th 50m free (28.77)