Hitchin Swimming Club’s Mark Evens, 22, recently returned from Sardinia where he represented Great Britain at the 5th European Down Syndrome Swimming Championships. 31 British athletes travelled to the prestigious event, which saw more than 130 swimmers representing 19 different countries.
Evens, who specialises in Freestyle and Butterfly, was awarded the trophy for the Best Individual Male Performance. Over the four-day competition, he achieved four individual gold and three bronze medals, setting a new Open World Record in the 1500m Freestyle and a new Open European Record in the 800m Freestyle. He also led his team mates to six relay medals and helped Team GB retain the title of Best European Team.
Speaking after the event, Evens said, “It was a real honour to represent Great Britain again. It is the first time I have competed in an outdoor pool and the conditions were really challenging. I was thrilled to set a new World Record in the 1500m Freestyle despite the strong wind and rough water. I really enjoyed swimming in the relays. I think everybody finds that little bit extra when they know they are racing for the team as well as themselves.”
