VETERAN Inverness swimmers Alex Sutherland and his sister Nancy Scott, along with their friend Sandra Lee came back from Glasgow tired but happy on 27th April after two days of intensive swimming competition.VETERAN Inverness swimmers Alex Sutherland and his sister Nancy Scott, along with their friend Sandra Lee came back from Glasgow tired but happy on 27th April after two days of intensive swimming competition.
The trio brought with them a haul of 14 gold medals, eight silver and one bronze from the Scottish National Open Masters Championships at Tollcross, which saw over 400 swimmers from all over the country, around half of them coming from England and Ireland.
Alex, Nancy and Sandra have been regulars at this event over the years, but what made this year special for Alex is that since he turned 80 he is now in a different age group. He personally won four gold medals and a special award for his achievement in being the top swimmer in his age group.
Nancy, now 71, gained seven golds and three silvers in her 10 events, while Sandra - at 63 the baby of the group - took three golds, five silvers and a bronze. Nancy also broke the Scottish record for her age group in the 400 metre freestyle event.
Alex and Nancy were both brought up in the Merkinch area and attended the Primary School - indeed, Alex still lives in Lochalsh Road, though Nancy is now in Culduthel. Sandra grew up in the Citadel area.
All three qualified earlier this year for the European championships at Millau in the south of France this August. And though it is unlikely that business will allow Sandra to go, Alex and Nancy may well represent Scotland and the Highlands as they have so often before.
However, it seems that no matter how successful they are, their presence will be low-key as always as they have no sponsorship to publicise their origin.
“It was very obvious in Glasgow,” says Alex. “We were the only ones who did not have club track suits.” Indeed, the trio pay their own way at these events. He contrasts this with the sizeable contingent who had been flown free from Dublin to Glasgow by Aer Lingus.
Surely the City fathers could take more pride in this threesome who so regularly put the name of Inverness on the sporting map in such a glorious fashion?
COUSINS Barry and Kevin Maclean won their second Inverness Doubles beating their Portland B team-mates Drew Ogg and Craig Reid in the final. This is Barry’s fourth win having also won twice with his uncle Don. Results were as follows:
QUARTER FINAL -
Drew Ogg & Craig Reid bt Kevin Clark & Alan Mackinnon; Gordon Morrison & John Mackenzie bt John Colquhoun & Gordon Main; Steve Falconer & K J Stephen bt Alex Fraser & Paul Lewis; Kevin Maclean & Barry Maclean bt Robert Mackenzie & “Bomber” Godsman.
SEMI FINAL -
Drew Ogg & Craig Reid bt Gordon Morison & John Mackenzie; Kevin Maclean & Barry Maclean bt Steve Falconer & K J Stephen.
FINAL -
Kevin Maclean & Barry Maclean bt Drew Ogg & Craig Reid.
There will be Junior singles events held along with the Mixed Doubles prior to the League trophy presentation at the Clach Club on Thursday 1st May.
The registration meeting for the Summer League was held at the Clach Club on Monday 28th April and the league is due to start on Thursday 8th May.