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British Kona Champion breaks Channel Swimming record

What do you do when your 72nd birthday is approaching? Well, if you are Linda Ashmore, you swim the English Channel. Again! Another impressive athletic performance from a reigning IRONMAN Age-Group World Champion
Chief Correspondent
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Linda Ashmore regains English Channel ‘oldest’ record

Last year, we made Linda Ashmore our ERDiNGER Athlete of the Month winner after her win in the 70-74 division at the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona. Linda had finished 3rd (2015), 2nd (2016) and 1st (2017), improving her time every year. A talented athlete across a range of sports, she was also the first finisher in the F70+ category at the London Marathon this year.

Back in 2007, Linda swam the English Channel in 15 hours and 11 minutes. That, at the time, made here the oldest female to do so at 60 years and 10 months.

11 years on – at not too far short of her 72nd birthday if our maths is correct – Linda has now regained that honour, completing the crossing yesterday (Tuesday) this time around in 16 hours and 22 minutes.

Linda – who was herself diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012 – was raising also for Cancer Research. Hoping to raise a total of £3,000, at the time of writing her total stands at £2,550 – CLICK HERE if you’d like to show your kudos for another incredible athletic achievement from Linda, and help her towards that target.

Huge congratulations Linda. What’s next?!

John Levison
Written by
John Levison
TRI247's Chief Correspondent, John has been involved in triathlon for well over 30 years, 15 of those writing on these pages, whilst he can also be found commentating for events across the UK.
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