Masters swimmer Steve Prescott did not let the business of competing and winning a national triathlon championship stop him from collecting a swag of medals at the New Zealand masters swimming championships.
Prescott, the Dunedin City Council's aquatic services manager, broke four national records in the swimming pool and, in between, won his age group at the New Zealand triathlon championships in Wellington on Saturday.
Prescott (55) competed in the 800m and 1500m freestyle at the masters championships on Friday night, winning both races, recording a time of 9min 44sec in the 800m, and 18min 19sec in the 1500m.
On Saturday morning, he lined up in the age group triathlon championships, in Wellington.
Competing in the 55-59 age group, Prescott was fourth out of the water among the 400 age-group competitors.
He then rode away on the bike and with a solid running leg, finished nearly four minutes clear in his age group.
Prescott said his good swim had set him up for the win, as running was traditionally his weakest leg.
It was his first win in the event.
On Saturday afternoon, he returned to the pool and won the 400m freestyle at the masters championships, again setting a national record, with a time of 4min 43sec, bettering the old mark by 22sec.
On Sunday, Prescott had his fourth victory in the pool, in the 200m freestyle, again in national record time - 2min 13sec - about 17sec better than the previous time.
Prescott, who coaches himself, said he was surprised to win so much and break the records.
He had not been training too hard, he said, covering about 4km a day in the pool.
He will compete in Tauranga this coming weekend in a ocean swimming event.
Dunedin's Murray Gray won the men's 45-49 triathlon category and finished 49th overall.
Other athletes from the region to do well were Laura Smit and Rebecca Grant first and second in women's 20-24 age group; Nicholas Taylor 16th in men's 20-24; David Driscole and Chris Rathbone 16th and 17th respectively in the men's 25-29; Ian Paulin fifth in men's 40-44; Johannah Jackson third in women's 18-19; Emma Rathbone fifth in women's 25-29; Kerry Rowley seventh in women's 30-34; Karen Blackwood sixth in women's 40-44; Adair Craik sixth 45-49.
