South Shields swimmer returns to break European record after 23 years

A South Tyneside swimmer has broken the European and British record for the 800m Freestyle, 23 years after he broke a European Masters swimming record, in 2001.

54-year-old Colin Ovington has made a triumphant return to the pool, and has once again achieved a fantastic record, competing for Gateshead and Whickham swimming club.

In 2001, Colin participated in the British Masters National Swimming Championships, which were held in Sheffield. As part of the 30-34 age group at the time, Colin enjoyed a record-breaking weekend 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle categories. 

Explaining his background in swimming, Colin said: “I’ve swam competitively most of my life. My first races were in the old South Tyneside Sports Week galas as a nine-year-old. 

“I was an original member of the South Tyneside Swimming Club when the first squads were created in October 1978, staying there until 1990, when the council funded scheme ended.

“After seven successful years with Hebburn Metro swimming club, I moved to Gateshead and Whickham in 1997, where I won open county titles in 800 and 1500 Freestyle in the early noughties.”

Once Colin was over the age of 25, he was able to compete in Masters swimming competitions, where he set 11 GB records and one European record.

Now, 23 years later, after a break from the sport to raise his three (now grown-up) children, Colin has returned to swim in the West Midlands Masters Championships, repeating his feet from 2001, breaking yet another record.

Colin said: “My kids are now aged 20, 18 and 16. They’ve become more independent, which allowed me more “me time”, which let me get back into the pool.”

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Colin now trains during public sessions at South Shields leisure centre, Haven Point. 

Competing now in the 55-59 age group, Colin who works as a Finance Business Partner for the Ministry of Justice, completed his 800m Freestyle swim in the time of 9:00.12, which broke the old European record by over 1.5 seconds. Colin also surpassed his own GB record by seven seconds.

Colin said: “Going into the Coventry 800m Freestyle event, I knew I was swimming well. I already held the GB record at 9:07 (setting that in Carlisle in February), so that was my aim, just to lower that.

“I knew that the European record was 9:01, but it wasn’t really on my radar, so to finish the race and look up to see the scoreboard stopped at 9:00.12, I was surprised but delighted.

“As you get older you need all the planets to align to perform well, and for everything to go well, but when they do, it makes all the training and hard work more than worthwhile.”