Three Newtown firefighters have won gold medals at a national swimming competition, coming home with 15 medals in total and breaking a service record.
The three were part of a four man team entered in the 2013 British Fire Service National Swimming Championships by Mid and west Wales Fire and Rescue Service.
The team, which included Dave Latham, Rhys Mullen and Bill Swindlehurst from Newtown Fire Station and Aled Middleton from Aberystwyth Fire Station won five gold, five silver and five bronze medals.
The annual event was this year hosted by Nottinghamshire and more than a 100 of the best fire service swimmers from 13 different fire services across England, Scotland and Wales competed for the top honours.
The event is split into two separate competitions – an “open” competition, which enables any age swimmer to compete and a “masters” competition which sets a minimum age of 25.
The swimmers then compete against people of a similar age in five year bands. Separate competitions are held for male and female swimmers, however, there are also ‘mixed team’ relay events.
Their achievement sets a new service record, which surpasses the previous record set in Newcastle in 2012 when the team won 10 medals, including three golds. Bill also managed to break the Fire Service national record for the 50-55 age group 50m butterfly by winning the event. He also successfully defended the 50m freestyle title he won in 2012 in the same age category.
The results for the Mid & West Wales swimmers were as follows:
Masters Medley Relay Team event – Bronze medal
The individual honours were as follows:
Dave Latham – 1 Gold – 3 Silver and 2 Bronze medals
Aled Middleton –2 Gold – 1 Silver and 1 Bronze medal
Bill Swindlehurst –2 Gold – 1 Silver and 1 Bronze medal
Deputy County Commander for North Powys, Bill Swindlehurst said: “Dave had a superb swim in the men’s 30-35 age group 50m backstroke, defending the title he won in 2012 by fending off a former Scottish International swimmer, to narrowly take the Gold medal.
“Aled, who made an exceptional new addition to the team won the Open 100m breaststroke and the Open 200m Individual medley. On behalf of the team, I’d like to thank the organisers of the event for a ‘job well done’ and particular thanks go to Samantha Howard of Cornwall FRS without whom the event would probably not take place”.
Caption: The medal-winning firefighters