World Aquatics Masters Championships Wrap
Our MSQ Swimmers have recently returned from the World Aquatics Masters Championships held in Fukuoka, Japan from 2 -11 August 2023.
Of 114 Australian swimmers, 37 were proud members of Masters Swimming Queensland. This was an enormous event, with over 6000 swimmers competing together from all around the world. The Aussie contingent proudly displayed their team gear and Aussie flags, and navigated the transport to ensure they could look and perform at their best at the Marine Messe and Nishi Aquatic Centres in Fukuoka.
Congratulations to all who competed. Here are the medal results:
| State | Entries | Entrants | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Medals |
| NSW | 184 | 42 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 27 |
| NT | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| QLD | 153 | 37 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 19 |
| SA | 39 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 6 |
| TAS | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| VIC | 63 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| WA | 31 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 9 |
| Totals: | 114 | 20 | 26 | 24 | 70 |
MSQ Medal Winners
Gold
Lindy SALTER
Susan O’NEILL
Elaine SNG
Elaine SNG
Silver
Tracy CLARKSON
Lindy SALTER
Andrew GILLESPIE
Shelley DEVERS
Kylie FLETCHER
Elaine SNG
Elaine SNG
Christina SCOLARO
Bronze
Tracy CLARKSON
John McKAIG
John McKAIG
Martin BANKS
Kady IBELL
Kady IBELL
Kady IBELL
MSA Relay Medals
| 2 Gold | Claremont Masters |
| 1 Gold 1 Silver 1 Bronze | University of Queensland Masters |
| 1 Bronze | North Shore Masters |
MSQ Branch Records – 19
MSQ National Records – 4
Memorable Moments
Caz Makin: “My favourite moment was the 200 FR in my only swim day in the main Marine Messe pool. Going head to head with the Chilean girl in lanes 4 and 5 of the 2nd fastest heat and putting on the burners with 25m to go to beat her to 9th place and her getting 10th – our dual celebrations afterward meant everything that is true to Masters swimming!”
Chris Campbell: “My first swim at worlds was memorable as my first one and I did an excellent PB. Relay day was amazing and I loved watching all the relays and being able to swim in one. Hanging out with the backstroke crew was also heaps of fun. Overall I just loved it and had heaps of fun.”
Christina Echols: “Relay day is always my favourite day at Worlds and to go a 32 on the anchor leg for 9th place was a bonus!”
Christina Scolaro: “Relay day was super fun with all swimmers at the one venue. UQ teams were excited to score one of each medal! Personal highlight was getting the silver in the 50m breaststroke on the final day.”
Claire Mas: “Completing at the World Masters Aquatic Championships in Japan was a true highlight. Experiencing the incredible talent that all athletes brought to the event elevated the competition and created an extremely memorable experience.”
Elaine Sng: “With 6000 competitors at Kyushu 2023, I am thrilled to have come away with 2 gold, 2 silver, a 5th placing and a championship record to boot. Without a doubt, my first foray on the Masters world stage will be a memorable one for the camaraderie and team spirit in and out of the pool. I am quite inspired to try and make it to the next Worlds in Doha 2024!”
Kady Ibell: “My first World Masters Swimming Championships was a wonderful experience! I loved meeting new people from around the world and now have become good friends with swimmers from Germany, Egypt, America, Great Britain and Japan! I was very excited to win 4 Bronze medals at this championships and to experience the medal presentation was an incredible feeling! My most memorable moment was winning a bronze medal with my UQ ladies in the 4×50 medley relay! Couldn’t have asked for a better first experience at a World Championships!”
Kylie Fletcher: “Fukuoka was a fun experience with new and old Australian and International friends. Great to see Susie O’Neill break the world record in the 50 fly and join her and her co-hosts Ash and Luttsy in the Nova relay.”
Lindy Salter: “This is how I felt after a lovely week of travel, swimming, and eating! This impressive Buddha reclines in Nanzoin – a lovely cool spot in the hills west of Fukuoka. (Apparently he’s the same size as the Statue of Liberty!)”
Martin Banks: “Being presented as World Champions with my awesome UQ relay team, UQ winning 3 relay medals, bronze in my 200 backstroke, and post meet celebrations!”
Michelle Gallen: “I had the absolute privilege of being in Fukuoka for 3 weeks covering the elite World Aquatics Championships prior to Masters. The highlight from my first week can be summed up with the first photo (the medal table from the swimming!) Highlight of week 2 is the second photo – the finish chute of the 3km open water swim.”
Nic Carmichael: “For Fukuoka for me the relays with my teammates were by far the highlight – and having everyone together at the same pool. The vibe was electric that day. I was very lucky to be included in both the mixed medley and mixed freestyle relays – mixed relays are my fav! Post swimming being able to capitalise on being in the country by tagging a two week holiday onto the end where Mickey Mouse and I compared muscles at Tokyo Disneyland!!”
Nigel Dalton: “My favourite memories were all the volunteers that were at every step of the way. Helpful, colourful and always wanting to help. I enjoyed swimming in relays with others and meeting swimmers from all over the world when the only common language was swimming and laughing!”
Shelley Devers: “When a typhoon shuts down Fukuoka, we have a laundry party.”
Spyros Georgallides: “It was an amazing team, our team UQ masters. You never forget a single moment during that day, when we won a gold and a silver medal. Since then, I have a smile which will last until the next World Championship.”
Susanne Milenkevich: “My favourite moment was my fastest 100 Breaststroke in 6 years with a big move from 24th to 18th done under high pressure circumstances and executed perfectly!”
Therese Crollick: “Personal highlight was the 400IM as I was happy with how I raced and 8th place was more than I expected and of course relay day was a blast. Only the second time I’ve swum in a relay at Worlds so a special day for me.”
