Pensioners match 50 yr old records

Two brothers from the Rhondda who each won a mile-long swimming race across the Menai Strait in the 1950s have matched or improved their records. Gwyn Thomas, 72, won it in 1956, and the next year younger brother Garfield not only did the same, but won it three years running, and broke the record.

Now Gwyn has achieved his aim of completing the Anglesey to Caernarfon race in the same time as in 1956. And Garfield, 67, beat his previous best time by two-and-a-half minutes.

This year's race saw Garfield come 7th, recording a time of 27:14. That compared with his previous fastest swim of 29:48 in 1958, a record which lasted for 21 years. While Gwyn came last, he recorded a time of 37 mins, the same as his 1956 win.

The overall winner, in 22:38, was 15-year-old Rebecca Owen from Bangor Swimming Club, who was competing for the first time.