Solo Viking takes on Queenslanders at MSQ State SC Championships

Report by Caz Makin, Publicity Officer

The Masters Swimming Queensland State Short Course Championships were held over four days from 18-21 April 2024 at the Chandler Aquatic Centre in Brisbane. This iconic venue hosted the swimming events in the 1982 Commonwealth Games.

Events on offer ranged from 25 to 800 metres, racing in a 25m short course format. The Queenslanders run a fast and efficient meet with fastest-first seeding and seeing separate racing for women and men in the 25, 50 and 100m events.

Solo Viking, Caz Makin completed 12 individual swims over the four days including the 25/50/100/200/400m Freestyle, 25/50/100m Backstroke, 50/100m Butterfly, and 100/200m Individual Medley.

With some pretty fast competition across the 55-59 age group, Caz came back to Canberra with 3 gold, 1 silver, and 4 bronze medals and set two new club records in the process.

Caz swam strongly in the 200 and 400m Freestyle in particular, from the outside lane in both events, and managed to swim some best times in 3 years in the Backstroke events.

The meet provided some more solid race practice with lots of turns in the short course format!

Credit: Gary Brinkman Photography

Racing starts early in the day in Queensland with a 9am race start time every day for the first event.

Gary Brinkman did an amazing job at photographing the events and swimmers doing what they love to do!

The Chief Marshall, Sam Brown, wore an array of headwear, bringing much joviality to the proceedings - starting with a Neemo fish hat on day 1, a jester hat on day 2, a shark helmet on day 3, and a squid hat on day 4. Sam took on this job as a solo every day and did an unbelievable job wrangling swimmers to their heats behind the blocks and their lanes, even when the 400m Freestyle event was re-seeded at the very last moment!

There was a social late lunch on Saturday with some of the River City Masters, who Caz swam with at the Fina World Masters Championships in Japan in August 2023.

MSQ put on live music and food at the presentation event at the close of the meet.

Jason Dean from the Barbarians sang a “Ballard of the 200 Butterfly” which saw accolades for his performance by the swimmers and officials attending the presentation.

A fabulous four days of swimming in Brisbane with some spectacular racing and some seriously fun times!