NEARLY 100 swimmers from 11 clubs descended on Trowbridge Sports Centre on Saturday for the first round of the Wiltshire Masters swimming competition.

Amongst them was a 17-strong squad from Swindon Dolphin, ranging in experience from 2009 National Masters Short Course Champion Jon Audis, to Colin Jones, racing in his first county competition.

Audis showed his pedigree by being one of only five swimmers to take four golds from four events, and he also set a new county masters record in the 50m backstroke.

Also setting a county age group best in the same event was Jose Adam, who picked up a gold medal for her efforts.

Other Dolphins striking gold were Mike Eaton (two gold, two silver), Glenys France (two gold, one silver), Paul Kirk (two gold), Anthony Clark (two gold), Helen Hanks (one gold, two silver) and Chris Lock (one gold, one silver).

Dean Fouracre stepped up to the mark by swimming his first ever 100m butterfly, taking home a well-earned silver.

Also picking up valuable team points in the lower medal places were Cally Gould (two silver, one bronze), Dave Ingram (two bronze), Dave Gingell (one bronze) and Martin Hayward (one bronze).

Dolphin were dominant in the relays, winning three of the six team events. The formidable quartet of Audis, Clark, Kirk and Eaton were in front from start to finish in their 120-159 years medley event.

John Cholod replaced Audis in the 160-199 years freestyle event, where again the Dolphin quartet dominated the race.

In the 200-239 years mixed medley, Audis, France, Hanks and Lock came from behind in the closing stages to complete a relay hat-trick of golds in a new county record time.

Hanks and France were also joined by Gould and Adam to take bronze in the women’s 160-199 years freestyle.

The meet finished with Swindon Dolphin and Salisbury both on 78 points, with Bradford on Avon close behind on 74.