Bermuda Swimmers To Compete In Canada
Bermuda will again be represented at the FINA Masters World Championships to be held in Montreal, Canada. This is the third time that Bermuda has participated as a team at the World Championships. This year, we will have the largest team with ten swimmers, four men and six women.
There will be several thousand athletes, including many former Olympians, from over fifty countries at the championships. Athletes will compete in all five aquatic disciplines: water polo, synchronised swimming, pool swimming, diving and open water swimming.
Most will be competing in pool swimming. The event begins on Sunday, July 27th and continues through to Sunday, August 10th. The pool swimming begins on Sunday, August 3rd. Most of the events will take place at the Aquatic Complex at Parc Jean Drapeau on Ile Ste Helene.
Bermuda Masters Swimming Team: [L-R] Gerhard Boonstra, Lori Sommer, Victor Ruberry, Sandra Dallas, Martina Olcheski-Bell, Colleen Nelson, Trish Rowse, Nick Rowse. Missing from photo, Paul DeGiulio, Lara Rogers
All of the swimmers are coached by Victor Ruberry, who started coaching Masters swimming again when Sandys 360 opened. He moved the Masters classes to the National Sports Centre after the Sandys facility closed last year. Several of the swimmers were competitive swimmers in their youth and after a long absence, have returned to the sport and will test their speed against the World’s best masters swimmers. Only two of the swimmers, Colleen Nelson and Sandra Dallas have participated at a World Championships, both were at Riccione, Italy two years ago, and Colleen also competed in Sweden in 2010 and San Francisco in 2006.
Nick Rowse swam as a teenager in Bermuda, competing at the Caribbean Islands Championships in the 80s. He stopped swimming after university, only returning to training about two years ago. Nick is swimming all the freestyle events, 50, 100, 200, 400, 800 metres and also the 3 kilometres open water event. He will also swim in four relays.
Paul DeGiulio last competed in the pool at the Latin American and Caribbean Masters Championships in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 2005. Since then, he has focused on triathlons and open water swimming. He will be swimming the 200 metres Individual Medley, and four freestyle events, 100, 200, 400 and 800 metres, four relays and the 3 kilometres open water swim.
The Aquatic Centre at Parc Jean Drapeau where the swimming, diving, water polo and synchronised swimming will take place
A spokesperson said, “Gerhard Boonstra swam competitively as a teenager in South Africa, but gave it up for running. He started swimming again two years ago and has started competing locally in triathlons. He will be competing in two individual events, 50 and 100 metres freestyle and four relays.
“Our coach, Victor Ruberry represented Bermuda in swimming in the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 1984 and in Seoul in 1988. After retiring from competitive swimming, he has been focusing on coaching and fitness training. He is enjoying being back in the water as a swimmer, and will compete in the 50 metres breaststroke and four relays.
“Sandra Dallas began swimming and beach running five years ago, to improve her health and get into shape. Since then she is at least 70 lbs lighter, and after shoulder surgery following the last Worlds in Italy two years ago, is again ready to compete in the 50, 100 and 200 metres breaststroke and 50 metres backstroke. She will also swim in three relays.
“Martina Olcheski-Bell swam as a youth in Canada. Recently, she has been competing in triathlons, representing Bermuda at the Island Games last year. She will be competing in the 100 and 800 metres freestyle, and 100 metres breaststroke. Unfortunately, work commitments mean that she has to return to Bermuda before the relay day on Thursday, August 7th.
“Lori Sommer trained and competed as an age group swimmer but quit to pursue other interests. However, in January of this year, she got back into the pool for exercise. She is enjoying swimming again and is looking forward to her first Masters competition. She will be swimming the 50 freestyle, 50 and 100 metres breaststroke and all four relays.
“Colleen Nelson started competing 15 years ago and this will be her fourth World Championships. She has made friends from many different countries through swimming and is looking forward to standing behind the blocks with them again in Montreal. A medal contender in several events, she is competing in the 50 butterfly, 50 and 100 metres breaststroke, 50 and 100 metres freestyle and the 3 kms open water swim. She will also swim in four relays.
“Trish Rowse and Lara Rogers both train regularly, but have opted only to participate in the relays.
“All the swimmers are excited about the upcoming championships and I am sure we will see our training culminate in some fast times.
“Lisa Blackburn is also competing in Montreal, but will be part of the T2 Aquatics Team from Naples, Florida.
“The Bermuda Masters Swim Team is grateful to Island Health Services which has sponsored their uniforms, towels and swim bags.”
