As the Noosa Masters Swimming Club prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary, five members have returned from Townsville laden with medals.
Noosa’s small team made a big splash at the North Queensland Swimming Championships. The five amassed a total of 21 individual gold, six silver and one bronze medal, while the women’s relay team took out gold in the 4x50m medley and silver in the 4x50m freestyle. Twenty-three clubs were represented at the hotly contested championships, and Noosa’s five swimmers won the trophy for the best small club.
It’s likely all competitors were spurred on by the rich heritage of Townsville’s Tobruk Memorial Pool. Sixty-four years ago, Australia’s national swim team – bound for the Rome Olympics – completed their mid-winter final preparation there. The pool foyer still displays evocative photos of the Australian team’s time in Townsville.
