Surf Life Saving Central Coast members have had an outstanding National Championships at the 2022 National Pool Rescue Championships held at Southport Aquatic Centre, QLD over the 5-7th August 2022.
Central Coast competitors Paul Lemmon – Terrigal and Daniel Kingsley – Shelly Beach have broken multiple Australian records in their age categories while four Open competitors represented NSW in the interstate competition which ran alongside the National Championships.
After two years of delays and rescheduling our Central Coast clubs were excited to be back racing at the National level. This Championships is unique in that it hosts competitors in the U11s to the O60s age categories. This creates an incredible atmosphere for all competitors and clubs.
The age swimmers competed strongly with many posting PBs in their modified events.
In the Youth and Opens divisions Terrigal’s Zahra Green, Kye Green and Jack Backer along with Shelly Beach’s Tom Simpson all represented NSW in the interstate Championships which ran concurrently to the national championships. All these athletes posted PBs and represented the State and Branch to the best of their abilities resulting in NSW placing 2nd to Queensland in the overall interstate point score.
It was in the Masters division though where Central Coast Athletes stunned the competition with Surf Life Saving Hall of Fame – Paul Lemmon who once again showed his dominance collecting Australian Records and or gold medals in all his events, taking his total of gold medals to over 100. This achievement didn’t overshadow Shelly Beach’s raising Master Daniel Kingsley claimed his second Austrlian record in the 100m Tow and winning all four individual events.
The Pool Rescue events are designed to simulate real world rescue techniques to assist lifesavers in developing their lifesaving skills.