Lisa Blackburn was thrilled with her medal-laden performance at last weekend’s US Masters Swimming Summer National Championships in Cleveland, Ohio.

Blackburn, who represented the Island at last month’s Pan Am Games in Toronto, claimed gold medals in the 50, 100 and 200 metres breaststroke and 200 individual medley, as well as a silver in the 50 freestyle.

The 44-year-old’s time of 2min 25.81sec in the 200 individual medley was four seconds quicker than her finish in Toronto, and less than a second slower than the national record she set in 2012.

Her time was also only 0.72 seconds shy of breaking the Masters world record in her age group.

Blackburn, who is pushing to qualify for her first Olympic Games in Rio next year, said: “I’m really encouraged by this swim for many reasons but mostly because I don’t train or work on my butterfly or backstroke, which make up the first 100 meters in the individual medley race.

“My main focus has always been on breaststroke and freestyle. With more focused work on improving my two weaker strokes, I will put myself in a much better position to reach the Olympic selection time or B standard for Rio.

“I’m now only six seconds away from that qualification time, which really isn’t much in a 200-metre event. With this race and time I have a renewed enthusiasm and I’m really looking forward to the next year.”