Barry with his new Vorgee Million Metres shirt

Barry Lloyd – 1 Million Metres

Congratulations to J. Barry Lloyd of QNA Noosa Masters, who started out on land, but is now at home in the water. He has recently reached his first Million Metres milestone. Well done on this great achievement!

Read all about Barry’s swimming journey here:

As my father was a keen snorkeler, we went down to the pebble beaches at Brighton, UK, quite often in my early childhood days. I was quite a water baby with no problems or qualms about diving into waves and being dumped on the stones! My father took me a couple of times to Ibiza for a snorkelling holiday and speared my first octopus, which the hotel cooked for us!

During Primary school I joined the Shiverers Swimming Club in Hove, UK, but only training. But, it must have helped as for the four years at high school I did my first swim racing at the annual winter indoor carnival. Each year I won the 50m backstroke and the person who came second won against me in the freestyle (4 years in a row)!

Work and study took up most time from then on until immigrating to Tasmania in 1971 although I did manage Saturdays with school friends swimming, ten pin bowling and ice skating, ending the evening with fish and chips (the parents of one of our group owned a fish and chip shop in town!).

In Hobart my main activity was running and helping to organise Kingston Little Athletics. I joined Masters Athletics and raced most weekends all long distances up to a marathon (London 2h 39min.) including cross-country and mountain running. I did continue with swimming both in the pool (8km a week) and sea (spear fishing) and a bit of gym work. I once got spiked in the wrist by a ray I had caught and the pain was excruciating. Luckily, I had bought my son a book on Tasmanian fishes and it advised putting my hand in warm water, immediate relief!

Holidays in the later years before moving from Tasmania were to the World Masters Track and Field Championships with my wife, Sue, who was also a runner. We only had 4 weeks holiday then, so it was a rushed time to go overseas.

In 2006 we moved to Noosa and I joined the Noosa Masters Swimming. I still did a few fun runs and cross-country races but, more recently, started concentrating more on swimming as my body had had enough of the pounding of pavements, and managed to compete in a few swim races for the club. I am still swimming and cycling, just!

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