Local Ian Curlewis was a recent participant in the swimming at the Masters Games in Sydney, where he came away with a Silver Medal in the 100metres Breaststroke and a Bronze Medal in the 400metres Freestyle.
Swimming in the 80-84 year old age group, Mr Curlewis, who has been swimming since he was thrown in the water at the age of 4, states “that being active is what life is about and you are never too old to get started”.
Mr Curlewis became a member of The Spit Swimming Club at the age of 5, he has swam competitively since going to Sydney University, where he excelled in water polo as well as swimming.
Mr Curlewis was in the training squad for the 1956 Olympics but did not get to compete as he was in his final year of law.
Once qualified, Mr Curlewis competed in surf life saving competitions.
Mr Curlewis has competed in two Ocean Classics for the last 15 years, one of which is the Cole Classic which is swum over two kilometres and the other is the Palm Beach to Whale Beach Swim over 2.7 kilometres.
To keep fit when it is too cold to swim Mr Curlewis heads to the snow to ski cross country.
The recent Masters Games was Mr Curlewis’s first and he thoroughly enjoyed the experience of mixing with the 1900 competitors, whose ages ranged from 25 (the age you can swim masters) up to 99 years.
Having lived at ‘Kiola’ for the last fifty years, Bev and Ian Curlewis are wonderful advertisements for keeping fit at any age
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