A Quick Glance 40 Years Into the Future
A single moment in Fukuoka reminded me what Masters swimming is really about.
In August 2023, I competed at the World Aquatics Masters Championships in Fukuoka, Japan — one of my favorite meets to date.
Every two years, Masters swimmers from around the world gather to compete for a world title. “Masters” simply means age-group swimming, divided into five-year brackets starting at 25–29 and going all the way up to 105–109.
There’s no prize money. No media spotlight. Most athletes have spent thousands of dollars — all for the joy (and yes, sometimes the agony) of racing. It’s not about fame. It’s about passion, community, and the love of the sport.
One Moment That Meant More Than Medals
On the final day of the meet in Fukuoka, I won the gold medal in the 50m breaststroke for the 40–44 age group. The competition was tough — the curve at the top is steep — so the win meant a lot.
As I waited to be called to the podium, I sat with the other medalists in a row of chairs just off to the side of the award podium. Above our row were two signs:
“40–44” and “80–84.”
The 80–84 group had just finished receiving their medals.
I looked up. I paused. And my mind drifted.
A Glimpse of the Future
I thought about what Masters swimming has already given me — health, friendships, travel, and purpose. And I thought about Chris Jones, a friend from the UK sitting beside me waiting for his medal.
Over the past few years, Chris and I have become close — from him racing in the U.S., to our family visiting his in Cardiff in 2022, to a week-long joint family holiday in France in 2024.
I thought to myself:
“How cool would it be if we’re still racing when we’re in the 80–84 age group?”
I smiled. But the thought stuck with me.
Why That Moment Still Moves Me
Even now, I get emotional thinking about that moment.
If Chris and I are fortunate enough to race at 80–84, that means we’ll have had another 40+ years of health, of racing, of traveling the world.
It means 40+ more years of dinners and post-meet celebrations, of texts and jokes and shared stories.
It means our spouses and kids — and eventually grandkids — will have friends across the Atlantic.
And all of that… because of swimming.
A Reflection and a Challenge
Let this story serve both as a personal reflection and a call to action.
Meet people. Share meals. Stay after your races. Cheer. Celebrate. Connect.
The Masters swimming community is more than a competition — it’s a global tribe bonded by health, effort, and joy.
If you’re racing in Singapore this year, take time to look around. Someone you meet this summer might still be in your life 40 years from now.
📸 - In the background of the photo, that’s Chris in the light blue hat next to me (white USA shirt). And below us, my daughters are playing with the children of another friend, Trevor from Canada, whom I met through Worlds.
