The loss of a leg to a shark 39 years ago has done nothing to quell Damon Kendrick’s love of swimming and the ocean.
The Zimbabwe-born 53-year-old, who now lives at Ermington in NSW, took the gold medal in the 5km open water swim (50-54 age group) today (Sunday) at the Pan Pacific Masters Games at Lake Hugh Muntz on the Gold Coast.
“I grew up in South Africa and I’ve lived here in Australia for the past 18 years,” said Kendrick.
“I was bitten by a shark when I was 14. It (missing the leg) doesn’t really affect me.”
Kendrick’s win on Sunday was as personally satisfying as it was hard fought. He beat home swimmers much younger and registered the fourth fastest time across all age categories.
“The wind was blowing hard and it made for some tough swimming at some parts of the lake,” said Kendrick.
“There was a guy just ahead of me (and) we swam around together for three laps and he pulled ahead of me just at the end.
“Most of the lake isn’t too bad, but down at the bottom corner it seems to get a huge chop.
“It‘s like the ocean and there is a surface current going in the opposite direction and you really have to fight your way back.
“It seemed to get worse each time, so I don’t know whether it was me getting tired or it was actually getting worse.”
The win rounded off a spectacular week of success that also saw him take the gold medal in the 400m freestyle and two silvers and a bronze in the swimming competition at the Southport Olympic Pool.
At the 2010 Pan Pacific Masters Games he delivered identical results, winning two gold, two silver and a bronze medal.
Kendrick said, despite its all-too-obvious perils, he has had a life-long love affair with the water.
“I was born into a swimming family. My mother was a swimming coach so I could swim before I could walk.
“At one stage I did gymnastics for a few years and then springboard diving and when the joints got sore I went back to swimming.
“I’ve since swam at the World Masters Games in Melbourne, Edmonton and Sydney.
“Edmonton and Sydney had a ‘swimmers with a disability’ category which was nice because I could pick up some more medals there.
“It was especially amazing going to Edmonton and being in a foreign country competing and meeting people from all over the world.”
Kendrick said that, unlike many things in life, age can bring distinct benefits to Masters participants.
“What I like is that most people fear getting old, but when you compete in Masters sport you look forward to getting older because you have an age advantage,” he said.
When asked about the possibility of returning in 2014 to defend his Pan Pacific Masters Games titles he responded immediately, “Oh yes, absolutely.”
The new scheme was born here and filagra this is not something that we would like to see. Caverta although better in some elements but not important for us.
