Pictured: relay team from left Samantha Effemey, Helen Close Susan Maclean and Anna Fenton inset: Karen Bellas

Published: 10 May, 2012
by STEVE BARNETT

Karen Bellas was the outstanding swimmer for Camden Swiss Cottage at the weekend as she scooped a medal in every event that she entered at the National Masters Long Course Championships in Sheffield.

Grandmother Karen, 59, competed in 12 races in the testing Olympic-sized 50m pool, a schedule that would have been punishing for someone less than half her age.

She was certainly rewarded for her efforts as she won gold medals in the 1500m freestyle, the 400m medley, and the 50m and 100m butterfly.

Her successful swims didn’t stop there however.

She also took silver in the 200m and 400m freestyle, the 200m backstroke, the 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke, the 200m butterfly and the 200m medley.

Club-mate Samantha Effemey, 27, struck gold in the 1500m freestyle and the 200m medley, as well as picking up a silver medal in the 200m freestyle and a bronze in the 200m backstroke.

Andrew Young, 28, won gold and silver medals in his respective 400m and 200m medley events, before capping an impressive meet by taking bronze in the 200m breaststroke.

There were also silver medals for Tamsin Jaggs, 52, in the 100m backstroke, Matt Molloy, 43, in the 1500m freestyle, and Susan Maclean, 37, in the 200m backstroke.

Camden Swiss Cottage wrapped up a magnificent outing in the relay races when Maclean, Effemey, Helen Close and Anna Fenton combined to set a new British record in the women’s 4x100m freestyle.