Karen is a driving force in world swimming (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Karen is a driving force in world swimming

5:10pm Tuesday 10th July 2012 in Sport By Steve Tinniswood, Sports reporter

KAREN Driver clinched two top 10 places in the World Masters Swimming Championships in Italy.

The Pioneer 79 Swimming Club member finished in an impressive sixth place in the 400m freestyle and seventh in the 800m freestyle in difficult conditions in Riccione.

Swelting heat and the high numbers of swimmers taking part – there were more than 1,100 in the 800m freestyle event alone – meant Driver had no chance of a proper warm-up in the overcrowded warm-up pool.

With that in mind, it was a gutsy display to take seventh spot.

Driver’s next event was the 200m freestyle where she was drawn in heat 55 alongside Olympic gold medallist Claudia Poll. She was seeded 30th going in to the event but moved up the rankings to finish in a creditable 15th position.

After a long and tiring week, Driver’s final event was the 400m freestyle where she was seeded outside of the top 10.

Again, she exceeded expectation as she stormed to a personal best to take sixth place. Driver trains five mornings a week with the Pioneer 79 squad under Head Coach Mike Wilson. She will take a rest before starting preparation for next year’s Europeans in Eindhoven.

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