NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS - Homebush 16-18 March 2002 (25m pool)

Steve Walker	45-49 yrs
EVENT	TIME	PLACE	POINTS
200m Breaststroke	3:07.69	6th	5
50m Freestyle	29.78	10th	1
200m Ind. Medley	2:48.49	2nd	9
200m Freestyle	2:24.92	5th	6
400m Ind. Medley	6:03.98 *	2nd	9
		=12th	30

* denotes ACT record

Club total points score : 63 points - 51st place

A Brief Report from the 2002 AUSSI Masters National Championships

Annette and I accepted the awesome responsibility of representing the Tuggeranong Vikings at this year's National Championship at the Sydney Olympic Pool, Homebush. Leaving at 6am on Saturday morning, we arrived in plenty of time to prepare for our first events.

The standard of competition in all age groups was very high, helped by the 39 international visitors from countries like USA, Canada, UK, Germany, South Africa, New Zealand and Ireland. A huge number of world records were broken during the meet. One US swimmer achieved a 100% result - five swims, five world records. The internationals even made an impact in the relays, particularly Totnes (UK) whose four members teamed up to beat all opposition including Seaside Pirates, Warringah, Manly etc.

Against this onslaught of highly talented and extremely fit swimmers from all over the world, Annette and I struggled bravely for three days to produce an occasional PB and score a few points for our club. The results of our efforts, depicted above, only tell half the story. For example, Annette's 50m Fly time was not helped by her meeting the wall with her hands and nose simultaneously (at both ends of the pool!).

Midway through the second day of competition, the following announcement was made: "NSW medals can now be collected from the upper level behind the Vikings sign". Not for the first time, our club banner had made more impact at the Nationals than we did.

Towards the end of the second day we both decided we needed treatment from the team of masseurs, who at that stage looked like they could use a massage themselves. Another massage the following morning was just what we needed, with a PB in the 400 IM for me. Annette spent most of the day waiting nervously for her last event, the 100m Fly. When it finally arrived, the result was yet another 4th placing, however it was an ACT record, her second of the meet. Actually, Annette has another criterion for her swim times that has a higher priority than PBs: ie; "Is it faster than Greg".

Away from the pool, there is little gossip to report. The only memorable incident occurred on saturday evening. After eating dinner at the nearest restaurant (unlicensed) to our accommodation, we decided to walk to the main centre of West Ryde where we mysteriously found ourselves in the bar at the West Ryde Hotel. Here we enjoyed a couple of cold drinks and a game of pool. It was here that Annette was challenged by an alcohol-powered resident of the bar to a game of pool. The nature of the challenge cannot be reported here (this website has standards to maintain) - you will have to ask Annette for the details. After winning the game we promptly left to prepare for the next day's swims. We returned to the hotel for dinner at the bistro on sunday evening, but unfortunately Annette's new friend was not there.