ABU DHABI – Veteran swimmers in their 80s have their own stories to tell about their age-defying journey, and a few of them do the talking in the pool by racking up medals at the Open Masters Games Abu Dhabi (OMGAD) at the Abu Dhabi Aquatics Club here.
Among them are familiar names in the world aquatics masters championships, including United Kingdom Olympian Michael Read, known as a long-distance swimmer for having crossed the English Channel 33 times already.
In the OMGAD, the 85-year-old Read lived up to his billing after capturing four gold medals in the 400m and 800m freestyle, as well as 200m and 400 individual medley events in the men’s 85+ category.
“I came here just to enjoy the competition, and I’m happy that I have achieved more than that,” the 1960 Olympian, who also bagged silver in the 100m and 200m freestyle, said in an interview with the Philippine News Agency.
Ahmed Hamada also took the limelight in the 85+ group, as the 87-year-old Egyptian fished out five golds in 50m, 100m, and 200m freestyle events, as well as 50m backstroke and 50m butterfly after the seven days of competition.
Hamada said he would continue swimming and competing to stay healthy and strong, thanking Abu Dhabi for organizing OMGAD, sanctioned by the International Masters Games Association.
“My father, who was a doctor, told me I have to swim to live longer. I should stay active in swimming and join as many competitions as I can,” he said.
In the men’s 80+ class, Franz Johannes Fischer, Anthony Cherrington, and Yury Marenkov won the most medals.
Fischer, an 81-year-old veteran of World Aquatics Masters Championships from Germany, won four golds and two silvers, while Cherrington and Marenkov pocketed four and three golds each.
The women’s 80+ class showed 82-year-old Marianne Raynaud of France fishing out four golds and one silver, and Peterne Shanyi, an 83-year-old veteran from Hungary, has three gold medals.
Other gold medal winners in the women’s 80+ are Anne Cooke of New South Wales and Herilene Henriques De Freitas of Brazil.
The 83-year-old De Freitas brought home a gold, an accomplishment that proved she made the right decision 30 years ago.
“I started late in swimming. I started it in 1953 with only one purpose, and that’s to live longer,” she shared.
Filipino swimmers’ presence
In the sport dominated by European veterans, Filipino swimmers Allen Edward Larua, Kim Russelle Palmaria, and Rhea Roa took on the challenge despite the lack of training.
Larua pocketed one silver and three bronze medals while Palmaria and Roa secured silver and bronze medals each.
“I’m still happy that despite a lack of training, I was able to win medals,” Palmaria said after finishing third in the 200m freestyle with a time of 3:19.88 on Saturday’s final day of competition.
Both Larua and Palmaria work as lifeguards in Abu Dhabi and have been competing in the UAE swimming tournaments. (PNA)