AFTER waiting 51 years for a European swimming medal, life-long swimmer Don Bland won three in one championships - all gold.

The tough veteran won his golds at the European Masters' championships in Palma, Majorca, setting two new European age group records in the process.

Bland won the men's 70-74 years 800 metres freestyle in 12 min 28.70 sec, the 400 in 5 min 57.01 sec and the 200 in 2 min 51.62 sec. His 800 and 400 times are new British and European records.

Bland, a finalist in the 1948 Olympics at 1500 metres freestyle, was confident of winning a medal at the same event at the 1950 European championships in Austria, but was thwarted when the Amateur Swimming Association decided not to send a team.

"Their excuse was that the event was being held behind the Iron Curtain, but in fact the pool in Vienna was half a mile on our side of the border," said Bland, who lives in Houghton le Spring and competes for Chester-le-Street swimming club.

Bland did win a bronze medal at the 1950 Empire Games in Auckland, New Zealand, as a member of the England men's 4x200 freestyle relay team, but he never did get his chance at European level.

Speaking on his return from Palma, he said: "It's been a long wait for my first European medal," said Bland. "There were problems with officialdom all those years ago, but now I can please myself.

"I have always wanted a European medal and I am proud to have finally won."

Bland is in peak form for his age thanks to the coaching of father and son team, John and Kevin Renshaw.

Kevin, chief coach of Chester-le-Street ASC, has been coaching Bland for the past year, and John did the job for the previous four years.