Six former Olympians took part in the Masters Swimming time trials held yesterday at the Damodar Aquatic Centre in Suva. Among the 25 registered former swimmers, the oldest participant was 70 years old.
Five-time Olympian and Fiji Swimming record holder Carl Probert was among the six Olympians who relished the return to a competitive atmosphere after years away from the sport. Probert highlighted the purpose behind the event, stating, “We think there is an opportunity to get people who retired from sport or those who want to stay active to engage in some sort of competition or participation.”
Probert emphasized the importance of staying competitive and social after transitioning from school to work. “People finish school, start work, and there’s not really an avenue for them to stay competitive and social. This is one way we thought would get people engaged.”
Encouraging participation in Masters events is a significant goal. “The Masters competition is as big as the Olympics or probably even bigger,” Probert mentioned. “We had 25 participants today, but I’m sure the next time we host, there will be a lot more. I hope this is a stepping stone towards sending a Masters team to represent Fiji in Singapore next year.”
Probert also noted the presence of other former Olympians such as Sharon Smith, Foy Chung, and Jason Chute. “There’s quite a few of us, so this provides something for the Olympians to pursue after retirement.”
Plans are underway to host a formal Masters competition following the conclusion of the Olympic Games in France. “The times set at that competition will be Fiji records because we don’t have any formal Masters records yet.”
This event will establish benchmarks for the World Masters next year, where swimmers will need to qualify based on merit.