GEORGE SWIMMING NEWS - The 35th Masters National Swimming Championship took place from Wednesday to Saturday, 20 to 23 March at Newton Park Pool in Port Elizabeth.
The Open Water swimming was held at Marina Martinique in Jeffrey's Bay.
The local Fish Eagle Masters Swimmers had 12 athletes competing: eight from George, two from Sedgefield, one from Knysna and one from Cape Town.
The team took home 21 medals, including eleven gold, eight silver and two bronze medals from both the open water and the pool events. With the numbers competing this year it was quite exciting to be able to make up two ladies' relay teams and one men's. One of the ladies' teams narrowly missed two bronze medals, placing fourth in the ladies free and medley relays.
Jill Black, Lanie Farrelly, Mike McDonald and André Weidman achieved personal best times in various events. Also achieving personal best times and winning medals were Tanya Osborne (six golds and one silver), Moneque Roos (three silvers), Pippy Bishop (three golds and two silvers) and Judy Dixon (one bronze).
Judy, at age 78, swam better times this year than in both of the previous championships.
Jenny Sheehy, newby in the pool, did the club (and big sister Jill) proud, winning four medals (one gold, two silver and one bronze) with great strong swims.
Deon Fourie is back in shape and had good swims in the pool. He also won gold in the 1km open water swim.
Dermot O'Dea is also back in the pool and raced teammate Mike to the finish line on many occasions. Old-timer Cheryl Griffiths, the driver of the team vehicle Aquila. also swam brilliantly.
All members of the Fish Eagle team who swam in PE qualified to swim in the Fina Word Masters Championship in August in Gwangju, South Korea.
The Fish Eagle Team would like to thank their sponsors Pet & Pool George for the hoodguises, Pakmax for the swimsuits, Ian and Tanya Osborne for the banner and flasks, Lopsi Potsy Studio for the ladies T-shirts, Eugene Schoombie for the men's T-shirts and hoodguise, Lizard and Print-T-Niqua for discounts.
Next year the SA Masters Championship will be held from 11 to 15 March in Germiston, Gauteng.
'We bring you the latest Garden Route news'
