Watch: 99-year-old swimmer who broke three world records in one day

The Independent

Betty Brussel is making waves around the world. This 99-year-old from the White Rock Wave swimming club has garnered international acclaim after she broke three world records for her age group at an event in Victoria, B.C., on Jan. 20.

Transcript

00:00 [Music]

00:04 Betty Brussel never intended to take part in swimming competitions.

00:08 I was never that serious.

00:10 I go for it, but if I don't win, it's okay too.

00:15 But somehow or other, I did win quite often.

00:20 And at 99, Brussel is doing more than just winning.

00:24 On January 20th at the Canadian Masters Championship in Victoria,

00:28 she broke several world records in her age category.

00:31 Most of my records I didn't know I was going for.

00:36 I'd come out and they say, "You broke a record!"

00:39 I never really, you know, she made my, like Linda, my coach, she made me

00:46 last week to do, you know, to think about it, but for the rest I never even think

00:51 about it. So I just go and do as well as I can.

00:57 [Music]

01:03 While she competes in various styles and distances, the 400 meter freestyle is her favorite.

01:08 [Music]

01:12 She says the construction of a municipal swimming pool in the small town of

01:15 Grand Forks changed the course of her life forever.

01:19 She was just 68 when she started swimming competitively.

01:22 After I retired, I started to swim. Then I met up with people from the

01:29 senior games and I started to swim with them.

01:36 And I just got better and better, every year a little bit better.

01:42 Now living in New Westminster, Brussel swims laps twice a week at a Surrey pool.

01:47 I go to the pool here and swim. That's my training. I have never really

01:54 trained. I just swim.

01:57 [Music]

02:08 I just feel good about swimming. I just love to swim. I love the feeling

02:14 of being in the water, gliding through the water. You have no weight in the pool.

02:19 While she's a bit shy of all the recent attention, Brussel hopes her achievements

02:22 can encourage others to be active. I really honestly don't feel special.

02:28 Very often when I come in the pool on a meet, people come up to me and

02:33 they say, "I thought I was too old to start" or

02:38 "I think I'm gonna quit. I'm getting old and I'm young." Look at me and they say,

02:42 "Well, you can do it if you want to." She adds being old is a state of mind and

02:47 that everyone can go swimming, no matter their age. And for her future

02:51 competitions, she has one simple goal. To be able to do it.

02:56 [Music]

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