Susie O’Neill wins gold, breaks world record to celebrate 50th birthday
Australia’s legendary Madame Butterfly has turned back the clock, winning gold and breaking a world record in a 23-year first.
Swimming
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Susie O’Neill has broken a world record in a sensational return to international swimming competition at the World Masters Swimming Championships in Japan on Monday.
The two-time Olympic gold medallist won the 50m butterfly in a time of 29.08 seconds — breaking the world record and championship record for her 50-54 age group.
O’Neill just touched out Great Britain’s Michelle Ware by 0.52sec to win the gold.
It comes two months after she swam an excellent time at a meet in Queensland in June to qualify for the world champs.
As part of her 50th birthday celebrations, O’Neill agreed to compete at the Masters championships in a relay event with her Nova 106.9 Breakfast co-hosts Ash Bradnam and David Lutteral, plus one of their listeners.
Nicknamed Madame Butterfly during her career, O’Neill looked silky smooth in the water and led from start to finish to win the gold medal in her first international race since she retired after the Sydney Olympics.
“I felt like vomiting at the end to be honest,” told her radio co-hosts in a post-swim interview.
“In the olden days I was nervous before the race, but I was calmer when I went out behind the block.
“This was like the opposite. I was calm before, but as I walked out behind the blocks I got a bit dishevelled compared to normal. Really jittery.
“It was time to go out, and my goggles had come apart. My hands were shaking - and I couldn’t put my goggles on because they came apart at the nose-piece.
“So, I had to get a lady to help me, and the girl that I ended up just beating was trying to calm me down. My nerves hit me really, really badly.”
“I got a massive surge of adrenaline, and I reckon it helped me,” she said, adding she didn’t initially realise she had broken the record.
“I wasn’t sure when I first finished.”
Despite the nerves, the swimming legend relished some moments of camaraderie in the marshalling room.
“But it was so much fun,” O’Neill said.
“I met so many people in the marshalling area that I knew. For example, there was a Canadian girl in that race, and we swapped clothes in 1989 when we came to Japan for the Pan Pacific Games.”
O’Neill told Channel 7’s Sunrise this will be a one-off and she has no plans to continue racing.
“I’m not going to compete anymore,” she said.
“I’m still going to just have fun training my squad. But no more races.”
O’Neill will also swim in the 4 x 50m mixed relay with her co-hosts and Nova listener Kylie Fletcher on Wednesday.
Originally published as Susie O’Neill wins gold, breaks world record to celebrate 50th birthday
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