Masters smash records at World Trials!
What a relay event it was! It was such a unique opportunity to race with Australia’s best at the 2019 Hancock Prospecting World Swimming Trials at the Brisbane Aquatic Centre. Teams from QMM Miami Masters and QSM Brisbane Southside entered teams to race with the Campbell Family, who were swimming for the Masters Swimming Queensland virtual team, the Barbarians.
Competing in the 120+ age group, Team Campbell were chasing down the Australia record of 1:56.08 set in 1994. They were also after the world record of 1:48.56 held by Poland, even though they cannot officially break it until Jessica turns 25.
Jess (23) lead the team off with a very quick 27.86, followed by Mum Jennifer (54) with a personal best of 28.65. Bronte (25) swam third clocking 24.23, with Cate (27) anchoring in 23.23. The clock stopped at 1:43.97, blitzing the previous Australian record held since 1994 by over 12 seconds. In a unique situation, this new Australian record is also over four seconds faster than the current Fina world record! Congratulations on a fabulous race ladies. It was a real thrill to be involved.
The Miami 280+ relay team with Julie Stuart, Carole Simpson, Lindy Salter and Wendy Abbott also reduced the Australian record by over 1 second, with Wendy touching the wall in 2:36.16.
Julie Stuart is a busy pharmacist. She will turn 67 this year and has spent all those years living in or near Burleigh Heads. In 1998 she was advised to start swimming to help correct a curvature of the spine. So she joined Miami Masters and has never looked back. Julie is the club’s Social Convenor — a perfect person for the job!
Carole Simpson (74) started swimming at age 8. She swam competitively during her schooldays in Albury but retired to ‘social swimming’ for nearly 50 years due to work and family commitments. She moved to the coast in 2009 and joined Miami Masters. Carole describes swimming as her ‘happy place’. It has kept her in good health and fitness during her ongoing battle with cancer.
Lindy Salter (75) swam successfully as a school girl, but never enjoyed the training part of it. After a fifty-five years break whilst raising a large family, she returned to swimming with her husband, five years ago. She joined Miami Masters and loves the competition, the training, but most of all – the travel! So, Dolphins, you’ll see them in Gwangju!
Wendy Abbott (66) was a competitive swimmer in her youth but left swimming behind for many years after leaving school. She returned to the pool to regain some fitness in her late thirties. She joined Masters Swimming twenty years ago but her major passion is a daily swim in the ocean. Weekly pool sessions remind her where the black line is, but it’s the ocean that lures her further afield — the Cyclades in Greece and local comps from Noosa to Byron Bay.
Also enjoying this special relay event, speedy swims were produced by Brisbane Southside swimmers Nicole Taylor, Katherine Duell, Elaine Sng and Nadine Loof, and Miami Masters swimmers Kathleen Carlyon, Mary Dupre, Claire Morrison and Kim McKeon.
Thank you very much to all these ladies for showcasing masters swimming to the wider swimming community. Quite a few surprised comments were heard from the stands as swimmers amazed the audience with their age and impressive speed. Well done and thank you ladies!
Wednesday night is the last night featuring Masters relay teams being anchored by Aussie swimming legends from recent years. Free tickets are still available for this event, so why not come along to support our swimmers?
