Making Waves in the North: The Blister Sisters
Townsville sisters Robyn Hay and Colleen Doyle commenced their swimming journey at the ages of 3 and 5 respectively. Along with their brother Wayne, they swam for Gardens Swim Club at Kokoda Pool, back when it was a 50-metre pool located within Anderson Gardens.
Swimming was very much a family affair, with their dad volunteering as a timekeeper or touch judge on club nights, and their mother always poolside, worried one of them might drown.
“We continued swimming through our early teens, until other sports captured our interests,” Colleen fondly recalled.
Fast forward to 2022, when Robyn returned to the pool following the death of her husband. A friend suggested that joining a swimming squad could be good for the soul. A year later, Robyn dragged Colleen—kicking and screaming—back into the water, and they have been swimming together ever since.
“My goal at the time was to compete in the Townsville Open Water Swim Series, with the 8km Magnetic Island to Townsville swim being my ultimate goal,” Robyn explained. “Colleen swore black and blue she would not get into the ocean, as she was still recovering from the trauma of watching Jaws in 1975.”
“Colleen and I made a deal: if she swam in a team event for the Maggie Island to Townsville Swim, then I had to compete with her in Masters pool events… thus our careers recommenced,” Robyn proudly stated.
Their coach, Luc Senet, had great faith in them and continues to support their goals with every event they enter. “Luc nicknamed us the Blister Sisters due to our blistering pace,” Robyn joked. “More like our propensity to sunburn easily,” Colleen added.
In 2024, their competitive journey began. They completed the Maggie Island swim in a team of four. Several months later, they attended the Pan Pacific Games on the Gold Coast, where Robyn won gold in the medley and silver in the individual 50m sprint events. Colleen collected bronze in the same sprint event and also secured bronze in the breaststroke.
“This was an unexpected surprise, which made us realise that we could not only swim for enjoyment but also be competitive,” said Colleen.
They have since competed at two National Championships, the Queensland State Championships, and the Australian Masters Games in Canberra, and have completed their second Magnetic Island swim as a duo. Their highlight to date has been medalling together in relays at Nationals.
They now make it a priority to swim relays together whenever possible and were proud to complete the Maggie Island Swim as a duo last year.
They train seven days a week—whether in the pool, the gym, or on the bike—and complete all their training together. Although they compete in the same age group and race against each other, there is a strong and supportive bond between them, encouraging one another before and after every swim.
