By Brian Hoepper
Seventy-one years. That was the age gap between the youngest and the oldest gold medallists at Noosa Masters 2021 swim meet.
Genesis Aquatics’ Caitlin Cuff (age 22) and Noosa’s own Bob McCausland (age 93) bookended a total of 32 gold medal winners at the meet on Saturday.
Noosa’s superb Aquatic Centre came alive as 121 swimmers from 22 clubs battled it out under a perfect spring sky. It was a scene to savour after the disappointment of last year’s lockdown cancellation.
The meet also stirred Olympic memories – one poignant, the other exquisite.
The presentation of the John Konrads trophy injected a celebratory but sad note. The trophy celebrates the life of Olympic legend John Konrads, who died in April. John’s Olympic gold in Rome in 1960 was the pinnacle of a career in which he set 26 world records and held every freestyle world record from 200 metres to 1500 metres. Eventually retiring to Noosa, John became a great friend of the Noosa Masters.
Appropriately, the John Konrads trophy was awarded to Genesis Aquatics’ Kim Finch who swam ‘closest to nominated time’ in the 200 metres freestyle – John’s favourite event.
A lighter, delightful Olympic connection was forged at the Noosa meet when two state records were broken by the Barbarian Masters’ Jennifer Campbell. Yes, the mother of Olympians Cate and Bronte! Jennifer blitzed the field in two 50 metre events, freestyle and butterfly, to break the age-group records. Much musing on the day … genetics, grit, perhaps both!
Jennifer was joined as a state record holder by Belgravia Masters’ Marsha Reddiex in the gruelling 200 metres butterfly.
At day’s end, competitors and officials gathered for a poolside barbecue during which medals were awarded and overall statistics announced. Predictably, Noosa Masters’ large contingent ran away with the trophy for highest aggregate points. And in the competition for ‘highest average points per swimmer’, the powerhouse Miami Masters team secured the trophy.
In the hands of Masters Swimming Queensland officials, the meet ran like clockwork. And as Noosa farewelled the visiting teams, Noosa’s president and meet director Ian Tucker was all smiles.
