SAPPHIRE Aquatic Centre coach John Pelling has another medal to add to his name. At the Australian Winter Swimming Championships Pelling and his relay team won silver and beat the Australian record in the 4x50metre over 70 category with a time of 2.24minutes. “We broke the Australian record, but unfortunately another team beat us as well,” Pelling said. Around 800 people attended the event held at the Botany Bay Aquatic Centre on September 14. Twenty-five swimming clubs from all over Australia were represented at the championship event, clubs that Pelling said exclusively swim in winter and usually in cold water. “We’re all mad,” he laughed. Pelling’s team was called the Clovelly Eskimos and aside from him was made up by members from Sydney, who were Neil Griffin, Cyril Valdock, Bill Harris, and Gary Stubbs who swam in their heats before being replaced in the finals. Pelling has attended the Winter Championships many times before, and has previously won gold there in the over 60s, over 50s and over 40s relays. “I’ve got a few [medals],” he said. “But like I say, every year it gets harder. “These days I don’t train much, I’ve got shoulder problems, old sporting injuries, but I do a bit of easy-paced swimming from time to time. “I coach swimmers at Pambula and Eden now, so I’m there with them five mornings every week. “Sometimes I stay back and have a swim, and other times I swim in Merimbula Lake.” Pelling is a life member of Eden Swimming Club and South Eastern Swimming Association, as well as being a member of Pambula Swimming Club. “All swimmers are coming back and getting into full training for the summer season,” he said. “We’ve got a few young kids who are doing pretty well.” After competing, Pelling enjoyed his time in Sydney, taking part in “lots of lunches and partying”. “It was a lot of socialising after that,” he laughed. He said he will probably return to compete in the championships next year. Merimbula News Weekly