1998 - 2000

1998

1998 saw the greatest success so far with two Gold medals for Sue Rolph at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur.

In the meantime, Darren Wigg has become the first male swimmer to break British Records whilst holding British Junior Records. He also represented Britain at the European Short Course Championships.

1999

1999 saw City of Newcastle reaping the rewards from the introduction of the Regional Performance Centre. Over the course of the year Sue Rolph became the first British swimmer to be pre-selected for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, won the European Gold medal in the 100 metres Freestyle in a new Commonwealth record and became the first British woman to break the minute barrier for the short course 100 metres Butterfly.

Sarah Whewell was selected for the World Student Games and gained her first senior cap at the European Short Course Championships.

2000

Darren Wigg, Julie Fort, Chris Cook and Lee Wardell have all been selected to represent England and David Cox receives his first cap for Scotland on the World Cup circuit in 2000.

Andrew Thirlwell won the English Schools National title for the junior 200 metres IM in a new record time and went on to represent

England

at the WISE International event, which he also won.

Martin Douglas set a new European record whilst winning the 200 metres Breaststroke at the ASA Masters Championships.

At the lower end of the age groups City of Newcastle competed in their first National Durham and District Junior League Final after an absence of 8 yrs and finished a creditable 7^th overall.

In January 2000 the club hosted a round of the prestigious Speedo Grand Prix circuit.

Sue Rolph competed at the Sydney Olympic Games and also won a bronze medal at the European Championships in Helsinki. We wish her well at her new club in

Wales

.

Chris Cook, Julie Fort, Lee Wardell, Sarah Whewell and Darren Wigg all swam on the World Cup circuit representing

England

during 2000.

City of Newcastle won both the Tom Randall Age group and Mark Latimer Senior N&D trophies for the third year in succession.

National Masters medallists were Martin Douglas, Michael Downes, Kevin Smith and Elisabeth Yaneske.

Student Long Course champions were Chris Cook, Michael Downes and Sarah Whewell. Short Course champions were Julie Fort, Sarah Whewell and Darren Wigg, who all set new records, and Michael Downes.

Disabled swimmer, Tim Reddish, competed at the Sydney Paralympics and won a silver medal in the 4 x 100 metres Medley team.

Diving coach, Dorothy Gibson, won the World Masters 1m diving championship.

Andrew Thirlwell won the English Schools National title for 100 metres freestyle.

Danielle Berry became the first City of Newcastle swimmer to be selected onto the World Class Performance squad.

The Durham and District Junior League team won the Regional final but just failed to qualify for the National final.