The 100m Breaststroke is one of two very significant events in Fins’ history, but especially the 100m breaststroke, and as such we will start with the boys’ rankings.

The record for this event is held by Gary Watson who was part of a GB Junior Team that competed in the Bonn International Swim Meet in February 1986 and the time he achieved was 1 minute 3.14 seconds. However, the significant element happened seven months before this when Gary, again as part of a GB Junior Team, became the first ever Scot, male or female, to win a European Junior Championship Gold medal. He did this in Geneva, in July 1985, with a time of 1 minute 5.43 seconds. The GB team won a total of 4 medals at the championships but Gary’s was the only gold, the remaining three were bronze.

The second ranked swimmer is Martin Lee and he is also worthy to be included in the significant category for this event. In January 1989 Martin was a member of the GB Deaf Team to compete in the World Deaf Championships in Christchurch, New Zealand. I believe Martin finished just outside the medals in a very creditable time of 1 minute 5.80 seconds.

There is also a third swimmer for this event who competed successfully at the top level of international swimming. He is no longer in the top 50 rankings but his name has been kept in at the end of the rankings because of his achievement. In 1992 Iain Matthew was selected for the GB Paralympic Team that competed in the Barcelona Paralympics and very unexpectedly won the gold medal in his category which was for amputees. Iain had one leg amputated below the knee. Iain’s Paralympic Gold medal was won in a time of 1 minute 21.58 seconds.

There are four members of the current squads in the top 50 rankings, namely –

Mark Scott – 22nd with a time of 1 minute 12.11 seconds

Steven Pate – 37th with a time of 1 minute 16.04 seconds

Ben Lewis – 44th with a time of 1 minute 17.74 seconds

Blair Wardlaw – 48th with a time of 1 minute 19.89 seconds

A one second improvement would see the swimmers improve their positions to 18th, 32nd, 38th and 47th respectively.

For swimmers looking to access the rankings the time to beat stands at 1 minute 20.63 seconds and this was recorded by John Rhinds, at the Fife Leagues, in February 2014.

In the girls’ rankings the club record is currently held by Sarah Chapman who recorded her time of 1 minute 14.29 seconds at the Fife Leagues in March 2007.

From the current squads there is one swimmer in the top 50. Erin Taylor is currently in second place just 9 one hundredths of a second behind Sarah. Erin’s time of 1 minute 14.38 seconds was achieved at the Scottish East District Age Group Championships in February this year.

For those swimmers looking to achieve a top 50 placing the time to beat is 1 minute 27.22 seconds recorded by Leeann Sinclair at Kirkcaldy in April 1998.

‘Labore et Scientia’ – through hard work and understanding.