By TONY FROST
FOND memories and fun for the seven Noosa swimmers who travelled to Townsville for the 2015 Qeensland Masters long course championships held at the Long Tan Aquatic Centre, from 13 to 15 March.
Accumulating a total of 45 medals from three days of competition is surely satisfying and rewarding for the efforts of all Noosa competitors in the pool.
None greater than that of Stephanie Jones, contesting the 60-64 years age group.
Stephanie totalled eight gold and one silver in individual events, and a further two gold from relays.
In the 200m and 400m freestyle races, she broke state records, the previous being held by Brisbane Southside swimmer Jen Thomasen, a current world masters champion and former Commonwealth Games representative from Perth, 1962.
Stephanie’s times of 2:42.61 and 5:45.31 in the respective 200m and 400m metres was quite outstanding for the fact that she only had two weeks of light preparation, having being out of the water for a couple of months, treating a medical condition.
Jan Croft’s visit to Townsville was somewhat nostalgic, having grown up just 50 kilometres north in the sugar town of Ayr. As a 15 year old, Jan was invited to join a squad of Australian swimmers preparing for the upcoming Empire Games in Cardiff, Wales.
The Australian coach, Forbes Carlile, had identified Jan’s potential from her success at the Queensland state championships.
“Training with gold medal swimmers from Melbourne’s 1956 Olympic Games was a real buzz,” Jan said. “Dawn Fraser, Lorraine Crapp and Murray Rose were all role models for me.”
Her success at the 2015 Queensland Masters Championships was limited by her old nemesis, Jen Thomasen, a friend for over 50 years, yet she managed to finish with three gold and five silver medals, plus two gold in Noosa relay teams.
The other Noosa swimmers swam creditably, all coming home with a medal.
Results from individual events: Stephanie Jones (eight gold, one silver), Dyanna Benny (one gold, five silver, one bronze ), Helen Malar (one gold, three silver, one bronze), Robyn Selby (one bronze ), Jan Croft (three gold, five silver ), Lois Hill (two silver, one bronze ), Adrian Wilson (one gold, three silver).
Stephanie, Dyanna, Helen and Jan combined to win gold in the two 240-279 years relays, freestyle and medley.
At the completion of the competition, the Noosa Masters Swimming Club were presented with the trophy for the 2014 Aerobic Program. Accepting the trophy the Noosa co-captains Helen Malar and Adrian Wilson paid tribute to Mary Lester, the driving force behind achieving this result.
