Bluefins Masters Expanded Team at the 2025 Swim England National Championships

The Bluefins Masters squad made a statement at the Swim England National Masters Championships at Ponds Forge, Sheffield, turning their love for relays and racing into a weekend of medals, British Records, and unstoppable team spirit.

Competing against 273 clubs from across the country, Basingstoke Bluefins finished 5th overall in the national club standings — an outstanding result that cements the team’s place among the very best Masters squads in Britain.

🥇 1st Trafford Metro, 🥈 2nd Otter SC, 🥉 3rd Woking SC, 4th City of Sheffield, 💙 5th Basingstoke Bluefins

This year’s team was the club’s largest ever at Nationals, featuring several new faces making their Sheffield debut. Our Senior 18–24yrs swimmers — Bradley, Olly, and Josh — raced in their first National Masters Championships, gaining valuable experience and laying the foundation for a strong future.

The spirit of connection stretched even further north: our 240yrs relay team welcomed new members Stephen, Colm, and Cass, who all live locally to Ponds Forge but proudly joined the Bluefins family for the meet. Their link came through Russ, whose late dad’s best friend, Cass, helped build a bridge between Sheffield and the South — proving that Masters swimming truly brings people together.

Spanning ages 18 to 80, the Bluefins once again showed what Masters swimming is all about — longevity, camaraderie, and the thrill of competition at every level. From first-timers to seasoned internationals, the team were on 🔥 across every session.

💙 Swim Team Bluefins — Sheffield 2025

Alex, Bradley, Brendan, Bryn, Cass, Cat, Colm, Chris, Dave, Dory, Fleur, Josh, Ian, Liam, Lizzie, Lottie, Lucy, Martin, Neil, Nick, Olly E, Olly J, Ollie S, Russ, Sarah, Sean HG, Sean OB, Spencer and Stephen.

🎉 A Birthday to Remember

Among the medals, records, and races, one moment stood out above all — Bryn’s 50th birthday, celebrated right in the heart of the championships on the Saturday.

There was no better way to mark the milestone than in true Bluefins fashion — with a British Record. Bryn played a key role in the Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay, helping the team storm to gold and rewrite the record books — all on his birthday.

The celebrations didn’t stop at the pool. That evening, the whole squad came together at Pizza Express in Sheffield to toast the occasion, complete with birthday cake, laughter, and plenty of Bluefins banter.

Also joining the Bluefins crew for the weekend were Lara (Hart SC) and Naomi (Poole SC) — not competing under the Bluefins banner, but spending the weekend swimming, spectating, and socialising alongside the team.

It summed up exactly what Masters swimming — and this team — are all about: friendship, shared moments, and achievements that last far beyond the stopwatch.

Relays

Bluefins have long been known for their relay strength — and Sheffield was no exception. Across every age group, the team delivered power, precision, and pride… and a few British Records to match!

💙 Male / Open 240yrs

9th – 4x50m Freestyle: Russ, Stephen, Colm, Cass

💙 Male / Open 200yrs

🥇 🇬🇧 4x200m Freestyle: Bryn, Ian, Spencer, Martin (New British Record!)

5️⃣ 4x50m Medley: Nick, Sean OB, Spencer, Olly J

5️⃣ 4x50m Freestyle: Spencer, Bryn, Sean OB, Olly J

5️⃣ 4x100m Freestyle: Spencer, Olly J, Bryn, Russ

💙 Male / Open 160yrs

🥇 4x50m Freestyle: Martin, Olly, Liam, Brendan

🥇 4x100m Freestyle: Martin, Olly, Liam, Brendan

🥇 4x100m Medley: Martin, Olly, Liam, Brendan

🥈 4x50m Medley: Martin, Olly, Liam, Brendan

💙 Ladies 160yrs

🥇 4x50m Freestyle: Sarah, Lizzie, Alex, Fleur

🥈 4x50m Medley: Lizzie, Lottie, Sarah, Fleur

Mixed Relays

💙 160yrs

🥇 4x50m Freestyle: Liam, Spencer, Fleur, Sarah

🥇 4x50m Medley: Olly, Martin, Fleur, Sarah

🥇 🇬🇧 4x100m Medley: Olly, Martin, Fleur, Sarah (New British Record!)

💙 120yrs

5️⃣ 4x50m Medley: Liam, Lottie, Brendan, Alex

🏅 Individual Results

Relays featured throughout the weekend, interwoven with a packed schedule of individual events that delivered just as much excitement — medals, PBs, and standout swims from every corner of the team.

🥇 National Medallists

Lizzie — 🥇 50 Back, 🥇 100 Back, 🥇 100 IM, 🥇 50 Fly

Fleur — 🥇 50 Free, 🥇 100 Free, 🥇 200 Free, 🥈 100 Fly

Sarah — 🥇 100 Free, 🥇 100 IM, 🥇 50 Free, 🥈 100 Fly

Dave — 🥇 200 Breast, 🥇 50 Breast, 🥈 100 Breast

Spencer — 🥇 100 Free, 🥈 50 Free

Dory — 🥈 200 Free, 🥈 400 Free, 🥈 800 Free

Russ — 🥈 400 Free, 🥈 800 Free

Cat — 🥈 100 Breast

Ian — 🥈 200 IM

Ollie — 🥈 200 Fly

Olly — 🥈 50 Back

Nick — 🥈 200 Back

Alex — 🥉 100 Free, 🥉 200 Free

Bryn — 🥉 200 Breast

Bradley — 🥉 200 Back

Cass — 🥉 100 Free

🌟 Team Highlights

From Bradley’s 16.5m sub-surface backstroke start to Sarah, Lizzie, and Fleur’s multi-medal runs, every swimmer played their part in what was one of Bluefins’ strongest Masters performances to date.

💬 “Our Masters don’t just race for medals — they race for each other,” said Coach Spencer Turner.“Seeing 18-year-olds and 80-year-olds racing side by side — that’s what Masters swimming is about.”

📊 Full Results Snapshot

Every Bluefin in Sheffield contributed to the club’s points and podium tally — from first-time finalists to British Record breakers.

📈 Team Range: 18–80 years

🏆 British Records: 2

🥇 Golds: 21

🥈 Silvers: 15

🥉 Bronzes: 5

💙 The Bluefins Spirit

Masters swimming continues to be one of the most inspiring parts of the Bluefins family — bridging generations, building community, and proving that speed, skill, and passion never fade.

From the youngest debutants to the most experienced veterans, the 2025 Nationals once again showed that Bluefins swim for life.

💙 Discover Bluefins

At Bluefins, we’re proud to celebrate every swimmer’s pathway — from the youngest in our Skills Academy to our performance squads chasing big goals. ✨ Come and see what makes our club special: exceptional quality coaching, community spirit, pathways of progression, and performance success stories. 🚀 Contact our amazing Ali to discuss pathways and arrange a trial - Find out more at bbfsc.org - Your journey starts here.