Carla Kennedy with her impressive medal haul at the masters event. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
SWIMMING
JAKE BELESKI
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An ill-timed illness didn’t stop Masterton Masters swimmer Carla Kennedy from making her mark at the National Masters Swimming Long Course Championships in Auckland.
Kennedy competed in the 30-34 age group at the West Wave Aquatic Centre last Friday and Saturday, finishing with five gold medals and a silver across her events.
But she said things had almost unravelled before she even got into the water.
“I was quite sick beforehand and I put in a huge amount of effort.
“For a couple of the races I didn’t feel like I was doing as well as I could have but to get those results was pretty good.”
Kennedy won gold in the 1500m freestyle, 800m freestyle, 200m breaststroke, 200m medley and 50m backstroke.
Her silver came in the 50m breaststroke, in a time which was also a personal best.
She said she did not set any goals before the event, but was thrilled with how it had played out.
“I would have liked to get a personal best and I did do that in the 50m breaststroke.
“I was really pleased with that because lately I’ve been reducing that time on other events that I’ve done.
“That was my last event as well and it was three events back-to-back, so I just got in the pool and thought I would give it everything.”
Swimming long course [50m pool] was a different challenge for Kennedy, but one she came to embrace.
“I swum many years ago in a couple of long course events but haven’t done it as a masters swimmer.
“It’s a long way to get to the other end – I did the 1500m freestyle which I hadn’t raced before and doing it long course was hard work.”
The Masterton Masters Swimming club have been operating for 35 years and the swimmers are preparing to compete at the Levin Masters Swimming Meet, which will be held mid-June.
The club is also planning to hold its own swim meet on August 4 at the Trust House Recreation Centre.
Swimmers throughout the North Island are expected to attend the event which is called “The Shear Magic Sheep Dip Carnival” and is held every two years.
All swimmers over the age of 20 are welcome to enter.
