Yeronga Yabbies Masters Swimming members (L-R) Claire Huegill, Linda Otten, Jenn Reed and Susanne Milenkevich are stoked to meet Olympic swimming champion Leisel Jones after their gold medal win in the 120-158 compound age medley relay at the Southport Olympic Pool on Friday.
The Yabbies broke the Pan Pacific Masters Games record for the event by six seconds.
Claire is the sister-in-law of Olympic swimming star, Geoff ‘Skippy’ Huegill.
Three-time Olympic gold medallist Leisel Jones made a special appearance at the 2012 Pan Pacific Masters Games swimming competition on Friday to show her support for the more than 300 competitors in action at the Southport Olympic Pool.
Jones, an ambassador for Qantas, official airline of the Pan Pacific Masters Games, was mobbed by Masters participants eager to meet an Australian swimming legend.
But future Masters competitors could turn from fan to foe as Jones did not rule out one day competing in the Games herself.
“Maybe in three years time I can compete in the Masters Games,” she said. “I think it’s a great competition.”
Jones was full of praise for the participants, saying that swimming is the perfect way for older people to stay healthy.
“It’s hard when you’re older to find exercise that suits you, and I think swimming is a great sport – especially on your joints,” she said.
“I think you’ve got to enjoy it, particularly with the competitive spirit that everyone has shown here, everyone seems like they’re enjoying it.”
Jones said that the London 2012 Olympic Games, in which she added a silver medal to her lifetime total of eight Olympic medals, will “probably” be her last and now she’s just taking life day-by-day.
“I think there are a lot of things that are more exciting than the Olympics; I think there are a lot of (other) things in life that I’ll enjoy as well.
“It’s about finding something different that will take up my time now, but I’m looking forward to finding out what that is.”
As well as showing her support for the Games, Jones was promoting the fact that Qantas has recently resumed services to the Gold Coast with the first flight in four years touching down at Gold Coast Airport in late October.
Events Queensland Gold Coast General Manager Cameron Hart expressed his pleasure at Jones’ involvement in the event.
“This is the first year that Qantas has joined the Games as the official airline sponsor. It is really great to see a marquee brand such as Qantas activating their sponsorship of the Games with some of their high-profile Olympic ambassadors – like Leisel Jones,” he said.
“Having the Games aligned with a global brand like Qantas will assist us in our marketing towards the 2014 Pan Pacific Masters Games.”
The new scheme was born here and filagra this is not anything that we would like to see. Caverta although better in some elements but not significant for us.
