Veterans dive in for medal haul

Bruce Lovett, Daphne Soppa and Lexi Towner all did well in the Masters swimming event in Cairns.

Mike Knott

BUNDABERG’S silver-haired super fish left veteran swimmers from across the state in their wake at last weekend’s Queensland Masters State Titles in Cairns.

Led by Bundaberg swimming stalwart Daphne Soppa, the team of four scooped the pool to win fistfuls of gold at the competition.

Soppa made a late foray into the sport at 55, and has never looked back.

The sprightly 73-year-old is up at the crack of dawn with a whistle and check board training local masters at the Bundaberg Swimming Academy pool.

“People always tell me I’ll be swimming until I’m 100 but I’m not so sure,” she said.

“But I am thankful to be healthy at my age and I’ll continue as long as I can.”

Soppa has no reason to quit anytime soon, collecting an impressive hoard of trophies, medals and medallions.

At the recent Queensland State Masters she blitzed the pool to win the 400m, 200m and 100m individual medleys and the 50 and 100m breaststrokes.

Soppa and her masters’ recruits hit the pool hard in the lead-up, training up to five times a week and covering distances of more than 3km in each session.

“If you want to be as fit and competitive as when you were younger, you have to work and train harder,” she said.

“Age and injuries are no barrier if you are prepared to put the hard yards in.”

Adding weight to Bundaberg’s gold haul were Bruce Lovett, Lexie Towner and Tracy Dunn.

Lovett placed first in the 100m and 400m individual medleys, 25m, 50 and 200m breaststrokes, third in the 100m breaststroke and was named as second age champion.

In her first Masters competition, Dunn impressed, winning the 200m individual medley and placing second in the 200m backstroke.

Old hand Towner built on past success to place first in the 400, 200 and 100 metre butterfly events and second in the 100 and 200m backstroke events.

Soppa said her team left Bundaberg on the map in masters swimming circles.

“I think it’s fair to say we left our mark,” she said.

“It’s a pretty satisfying result.”

The group is currently hoping to entice golden oldies into the pool and on to the winners’ podium in upcoming events.

“People don’t need to be good swimmers, they just need to have a good sense of humour and be prepared for a lot of fun,” she said.

“It’s not all about competition it’s about fun and friendship as well.

“It’s low impact so it’s the perfect sport for older people and the elderly.”

The Bundaberg masters team will head to the northern territory in May for the Alice Springs Masters Games.