Bradley brings the magic in ocean swim

Young swimmer takes first place in the Murray Rose Malabar Magic

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A young Carlingford swimmer swapped the pool for the ocean to claim the top spot in the annual Murray Rose Malabar Magic last week.

Bradley Woodward took to the waves of Malabar Bay on Sunday, February 19, for the annual swim, which includes a 1km and 2.4km swim, and came first in the longer leg.

The event — the state’s only ocean swim that accommodates people with a disability — raised more than $100,000 for Rainbow Club, a not-for-profit organisation teaching children with disabilities how to swim and be safe in the water.

Woodward joined the event with four members of his Swimming Australia Squad in support of one of the squad members’ cousins, who is a member of Rainbow Club.

Woodward, who recently moved to Carlingford from the Central Coast, joined the team only two days before the race and narrowly beat a team member to finish first.

“It ended up being quite a tight race between another guy in my team so I was pretty stoked to come away with it,” he said.

Rainbow Club ambassador James Pittar, who was the first blind swimmer to successfully cross the English Channel in 1998, said the event allowed the Rainbow Club program to keep up with demand.

“The money raised from the event provides limitless opportunities to the children at Rainbow Club — this is a true representation of what our organisation is all about,” Pittar said.