The Brit took home four gold medals and set two world and European records in Toruń.

John Wright produced one of the greatest masters performances of all-time at last week's European Masters Championships (March 27 - April 2).

The 66-year-old Northern Master AC athlete, who this winter had already set a M65 world masters indoor record at 400m of 55.44 in Sheffield, secured four gold medals in Toruń.

He also set two world and two European records, showcasing his talent in Poland.

In 400m qualifying, he eased through with times of 62.99 and 60.58 before letting loose in the final. He powered through 200m in 26.31, a time that would have got a medal in the 200m final later on.

His second lap was slower (28.61) but he still went further and further away from the field. Wright's time of 54.92 was historic as he became the oldest man ever to break 55 seconds, indoors or out.

The Brit didn’t just destroy the M65 world indoor mark but he also bettered Roland Groger's M60 mark of 55.35 from last year in Florida.

Richard White, who won the M65 title in Florida in Wright’s absence, was a distant second in 59.12.

Wright then turned his attention to the 60m and again won his qualifying rounds in respective times of 8.41 (on the afternoon of his 400m) and 8.08 the next day before going flat out in the evening’s final. His British M65 best pre-race was 7.87 in February though the ratified mark was showing as 7.94 from January.

Incredibly, considering many regard the 400m as his best event, he blasted to a European record of 7.73, smashing the mark previously held by Slovakia's Vladimir Vybostok of Slovakia. Wright's previous best was 7.81 from 11 years ago.

He won by close on three metres and again his time would have comfortably won M60 gold. Wright fell just 0.04 short of American Bill Collins’ decade old world record.

The 200m was his final individual event and he went into the championships having set a European record of 25.25 in Sheffield in January.

The Brit eased through the heats again in 28.35 before a fast but relaxed 25.57 semi final. In the final, he again dominated and this time he ran a superb 24.46.

That time not only took a whopping 0.79 off of his European record but also nearly half a second off of Collins’ world record of 24.94 set a decade ago.

For good measure, Wright’s time here was marginally quicker than his world outdoor record and again would have comfortably won M60 gold in the younger age group.

Behind him fellow Brit Pat Logan took second in 26.21 and then the next day they combined with White and Tennyson James to take almost two seconds off of the European 4x200m record with a 1:47.67 to win gold by over eight seconds.

If he translates this form to the outdoors then he should break a number of records and be in line for World Masters athlete of the year.

The woman who won that honour last year Sarah Roberts was also in golden form.

The British W75 was returning from illness and had a gruelling schedule as she won five individual golds, a silver and three team golds.

Subsequently, without too much opposition, her winning times at 800m (3:28.80), 1500m (6:59.41) and 3000m (14:09.87) and 5km (24:36) were well outside the world bests she set last year. She won the 6km cross-country (36:03) and picked up team golds in that and the 5km and featured in the W75 mixed 4x200m relay world record of 2:22.01. She was also second in the 400m.

M90 Tony Bowman had a very busy championships as well. He won gold at 60m (12.00), 60m hurdles (21.37), high jump (0.95m) and 200m (45.45) and was second in the triple jump and third in the long jump.

He also picked up a gold medal in the M80 4x200m relay competing against athletes up to ten years younger.

W85 Betty Stracey won three individual golds winning the 800m (5:41.83), 1500m (10:53.92) and cross-country (52:39) and also won a W75 cross-country team gold alongside Roberts.

Facing stronger opposition than some in the older age groups, M60 Chris Upson added to his recent titles with victories at 3000m (10:05.42), 8km cross-country (30:39) and 5km (17:34).

Over 3000m there were additional wins for M65 Dave Clarke (10:32.78) and W80 Pauline Rich (18:50.66). Former senior world championships competitor Christine Harrison-Bloomfield dominated the W55 60m (8.08) and 200m (26.61).

Caroline Powell won the W70 400m in an European record 72.70 and also won the 60m in 9.59 but narrowly lost out in the 200m.

W85 Iris Holder won the 60m (12.86) as well as the long jump in a European record (2.24m) and the triple jump (5.23m). Liz Amos won a W45 200m (26.74) and 400m (60.31) double.

Other 60m victories were achieved by W50 Yvette Henry (8.12), W60 Jo Willoughby (8.97) and M80 Allan Long (9.50). World outdoor champion Andrew Ridley won another double gold with fast solo runs in the M60 800m (2:07.63) and 1500m (4:22.97) which were close to the world record despite no opposition or help.

Other middle-distance successes were achieved by W40 Sian Lewis (2:18.80) and M40 Paul Wright (1:56.15) and W70 Anna Garnier (6:07.50).

Though it wasn’t listed as a world record, it appears both Sally Hine (12.05) and Emily McMahon (12.20) beat the previous W75 mark.

Multi-world champions and world record-holders M55 Joe Appiah (8.53) and M45 Mensah Elliott (8.28) added more titles to their collections. Appiah added the long jump with a British record of 5.87m.

Carole Filer also did a hurdles (11.45) and long jump (3.71m) double in the W70 category

World record-holder Barrie Marsden won M60 gold in 8.97 while also scoring hurdles golds were W35 Jess Tappin (9.02) and W65 Susan Frisby (10.19) who narrowly defeated world record-holder Jane Horder (10.25).

Stacey Downie dominated the W35 200m (24.85) while Darren Scott just missed his European record in the M55 200m (23.88). Tracey Ashworth dominated the W50 400m (61.53).

Martin Lloyd took gold in the M45 high jump (1.95m) while three British athletes won pole vault titles.

They were multi-world record-holder W55 Irie Hill (3.00m), W70 Sue Yeomans  – who equalled the European record with 2.40m – and Glyn Price (3.60m) who headed the M60s.

Caroline Marler, who ran a 2:06.9 800m in the 1976 Olympic Trials, won the W75 shot with a 9.66m throw and the javelin with a 20.61m throw.

W35 Jo Rowland (13.44m) and M65 Allan Leiper (13.77m) also won shot gold medals.

Winners in the winter throw competitions included M65 John Moreland (48.64m) and M70 Guy Dirkin (40.23m) both in the discus.

Two British walkers scored gold medals – W65 Susan Payne (3000m track walk in 18:04.07 and 5km road walk with 30:32) and former Olympian and now M75 Ian Richards (18:37.19 and 30:47).

Three British women won pentathlon golds with W35 shot winner Rowland (4018), W40 Niabari Rutter (3642) and W70 hurdles champion Frisby (4070) all showing their multi event skills.

Also striking gold in the 5km road race was M40 John Craig (15:06). Other titles came in the relay or team races.

With three quarters of the team that set a world mixed 4x400m outdoor record last summer the V60 quartet of Julie Hicken, 400m and 800m silver medallist Virginia Mitchell, Wole Odele and Vincent Elie, the GB mixed team set a world record 1:52.42.

There was also a world record win for the V35 team of Katy Lord, 200m champion Downie, Dale Willis and double sprint medallist Byron Robinson as they won by exactly five seconds in 1:36.44.

The V75s also set a world record and won by seven seconds as McMahon and Roberts combined with Bruce Hendrie and David Hinds as they timed 2:22.01.

The V70s, including gold winners Powell and Garnier combining with Clem Leon and Ian Broadhurst, set a European record of 2:07.71.

In the single sex relays, there were gold medals for the W35 team of Lord, Krystle Balogun, Joanna Ryan and Downie in 1:43.44.

The W55 team of Anita Saunders, Juliet Sidney, Popsie Wootten and double champion Harrison-Bloomfield set a European record 1:54.96.

The W70s also won gold with a quartet of Anne Nelson, pole vaulter Yeomans, Nicky Buckwell and Powell again in a time of 2:19.54.

The men’s relays teams won an additional three golds.

The M45 quartet of Oliver Pool, Gavin Stephens, hurdles champion Elliott and Mark Vallier ran 1:35.80. The previously mentioned M65s ran a European record of 1:47.67 while the M80s of Albert Eland, M90 Bowman, 60m champion Long and James Smith ran 2:43.88.

Team winners were the British W75 cross-country and 5km team headed by Roberts while the W55 walks team also won gold

Despite 80 golds and 189 medals Britain were well behind a strong Germany (with their obvious geographical advantage as they had respective 119 golds and 296 medals in the medal standings) but they did win  a battle with hosts Poland to finish second in the medal table.

Many of Britain’s recent world champions or world record-holders didn’t make the trip this time including Stephen Peters, Rob McHarg, Paul Forbes, Kojo Kyereme, Dean Richardson Evaun Williams, Paula Williams, Clare Elms, Ellie Stevens, Zoe Doyle and Julia Machin but it was still a highly successful championships for the British team whose next major event is the Worlds in Seoul in the summer.

Non-British performances that made an impression included world record setters M60 Greek high jumper Georgios Farmakis (1.82m), M55 Polish weight thrower Marius Walczak (23.03m), W60 French long jumper Petra Baje (4.97m) and German M50 shot putter Andy Dittmar (18.22m).

Former UK-based Dutch 800m world outdoor record-holder Andrew Larasen bettered the European 1500m mark with 4:14.77 ahead of British world champion Mark Symes (4:18.22).

Ireland’s Edel Maguire won the W65 60m (9.11), 200m (29.63) and 400m (67.65) and a W60 and V65 mixed relay gold.

Sweden’s Lion Martinez won the M45 60m in 6.95 where world record-holder Dwain Chambers pulled out after a below par third in his semi-final.

Martinez also won the 200m in 22.66 ahead of British relay stars Pool and Stephens.

Spain’s Manuel Alonso was particularly impressive setting stunning world records in the M90 800m (3:34.22) and 1500m (7:00.81).