Four Bermuda swimmers will be vying for honours at the FINA World Masters Swimming Championships in Riccione, Italy this week.Sandra Dallas, 73, Colleen Nelson, 63, Christiane Wehmeyer, 45 and Annette Budge, 44 were all action in the outdoor pool at the Riccione swimming complex yesterday.Wehmeyer was the first into the water in the 200 metres backstroke followed by Nelson and Budge in the next event, the 100 metres freestyle. Dallas, Nelson and Budge then competed in the 100 metres backstroke.The swimmers will be able to compete in five individual pool events, relay events and the open water event.Nelson said the quartet had been training hard for the biennial event and were hopeful of delivering some strong performances.“We have all trained hard for this event and are excited about the prospect about competing on the top stage of Masters Swimming,” she said.“There will be many former Olympians competing, and certainly many swimmers who represented their country in their youth.“We will all be doing our best, and hope to swim some good times.”A record number of 12,600 athletes are representing 76 countries at the Championships. The oldest competitor is 96-year-old Kath Johnston of New Zealand.Hundreds of Riccione residents turned out to watch last Friday’s Opening Ceremony, which was attended by Bermuda’s Nelson and Dallas.Nelson said: “The athletes marched by country in alphabetical order, from Algeria to Zimbabwe, down the Viale Dante, a pedestrian street lined with shops and restaurants. Hundreds of residents came out to watch the athletes march to the Piazzale Roma on the waterfront.”