22 July 2009
A nurse from St Helier Hospital will soon be swimming for Great Britain as she dives into the European Masters Championship later this year.
Lead nurse in the renal (kidney) unit, Sue Woodcock will be donning the GB swimming cap and taking to the water in the international competition, held in Cadiz, Southern Spain, in September.
Sue said: "I'm really excited about wearing a GB hat and I feel very lucky to be in that position. I mean, there's no chance at all that I'll win a medal because some of the people I'll be up against are phenomenally fast, but it's a privilege just to be there. I'll also score some points and help the team up the rankings."
Sue started swimming eight years ago, just after her son, Finn was born. She said: "I've always enjoyed swimming, but I hadn't really thought about doing it competitively until I joined the Epsom District Swimmers. I got chatting to the other swimmers, made some brilliant new friends and just got more and more into it. Soon I was swimming two to three times a week and taking part in the races."
Sue went to the British national heats last year where she met the qualifying times in the freestyle 50, 100 and 400 metre races for her age group. The masters competition is for swimmers over the age of 25, but has no upper age limit, so swimmers of all ages can take part.
Sue said: "Being part of the team has really opened my eyes to some new experiences and given me the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life. For example, during the British heats, I saw a lady of 84 years old do the 200 metre butterfly - it was just incredible. There was another lady aged 99, who swam the 1500 metres. Obviously, they're not quite getting the times that the super-fit athletes do, but it really is inspirational to watch.
"For me, it's not about being incredibly fit or competitive. It's about meeting new people, taking part in new adventures and enjoying the feeling of achieving something. I think it's important not to take it too seriously though - I still enjoy a good curry and a pint!" she added.
If you would like to find out more about Epsom District Swimmers, or are interested in joining, call Sue on 07739 043 186.
