It was a record-breaking day for the Aussies on day one of the Lifesaving World Championships on the Gold Coast, with not one but three World Records broken during the Masters Pool Rescue competition.
With the 200m Obstacles the first event of the 17-day world event, former Australian Olympic swimmer Malcom Allen set the pool alight with the first World Record of the day in the Men’s 50-54 Years race beating his international competitors by almost six seconds, and the previous record set in 2016.
In the Women’s 70+ 100m Obstacles, Alexandra Headland clubbie Alison Windsor, competing in her first World Championships, secured another World Record with a dominant swim of 1:36.11, breaking the 20-year-old record.
Alison says after taking a very long break from surf lifesaving of more than 50 years, it was a wonderful experience to be active and enjoying the surf competition environment again.
“I have swum all my life and as an adult once the kids were older, but I was coerced by my daughter – my number one supporter, along with my fellow club mates, into doing the relay so decided to do individual events as well. I wanted to go under 1:38 so I was very happy. I looked at the time and I could see what it was, but I didn’t know what the World Record was. Sarah was in the stands and yelling to me you’ve got a World Record!”
Her daughter Sarah Windsor, who competed in the 2002 and 2009 World Lifesaving Championships, is now also a World Record holder herself having broken records in the 200m Super Lifesaver and 100m Rescue Medley events at the recent Australian Pool Rescue Champs. Today she also secured the Gold Medal in the Women’s 45-49 years 200m Obstacles.
“I knew she had it in the bag. I might be the pushy daughter but that’s ok. I told her she’d win the World Record and she put her hands over her ears and didn’t want to know about it, so I thought I’ll be quiet on it until it happens. She turned at 45secs, so I knew she was on target and everyone around me knew she was going to break the World Record.”
“I am 1000% more proud of mum than me. I did it in my adult years, but she didn’t so it’s so good to see women mum’s age who weren’t allowed to compete when they were younger, out here now. I wasn’t allowed to for a long time either as there were no girls events, so we are both breaking down barriers.
“You can’t be what you can’t see, and all the young girls out there can see me and my mum giving it a crack and doing well.”
The third World Record of the day was achieved by fellow Aussie Jennifer Whiteley from The Hills Swimming and Lifesaving Club who broke her own record in the Women’s 65-69 years 100m Obstacles.
Meanwhile former Olympic swimmer and medallist Adam Pine, representing Invictus Australia, was also debuting at his first World Lifesaving Champs Pool Rescue Competition, taking out the Silver Medal in the Men’s 45-49 years event behind Spain’s Marcello Tonelli.
Lifesaving World Championships 2024 continues through Sunday 8 September with National Teams competing from Thursday 29 August.
The Lifesaving World Championships is supported by Experience Gold Coast and the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland.
