Ironwoman Maddy Dunn a champion even before she races at Australian surf life saving titles
It’s not what Maddy Dunn does in training that makes her a champion ironwoman. It’s what she does in her unscheduled work breaks that really matters.
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It’s not what Maddy Dunn does in training that makes her a champion ironwoman. It’s what she does in her unscheduled work breaks.
While she’s preparing for an assault on her first Australian ironwoman crown at Broadbeach this weekend, even a win in the blue riband event won’t top what Dunn has done in the lead-up to the annual surf lifesaving championships - helped save two lives over summer.
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Twice this summer Dunn has run down the beach and plunged into the surf fully clothed in her work uniform to help rescue struggling swimmers.
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While her superwoman heroics have saved lives it’s all just been in a day’s work for a modest Dunn who works in the bistro, bar and on reception at the Northcliffe surf life saving club on the Gold Coast.
“I just saw people needed some help,” she said. “It makes you feel good when they are safe.”
Doing a shift at the club one night last month, the top Australian ironwoman didn’t hesitate when a call for help came through reception around 6.15pm and outside patrol hours.
He couldn’t say thanks but he looked thankful
“I was on reception and someone rang and said someone needed help, that they were caught in a rip,” said Dunn, whose rescue was watched from the beach by around 20 people without the skills to help.
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“He was a tourist and he was caught in a rip so I swam out to help him.
“He had a little body board which helped him otherwise it might not have been good.
“I got him back in. He couldn’t say thanks but he looked thankful.”
The rescue 200 metres out to sea followed on from Dunn, fellow Nutri-Grain iron woman Hannah Scully and others helping save three young boys they spotted through the glass of their workplace struggling in a rip prior to Christmas.
“Three little boys were swimming and got caught. We were looking down and ran down and grabbed a board and a tube and rescued them.” Dunn said. “It was great they were OK.’’
This week the skills and techniques used to save lives are on display at the Aussies which are being contested by more than 6000 youth, masters and open surf life savers.
Dunn, who will contest a range of events at the championships from board and swim, is keen to avenge her loss to Georgia Miller in the final event of the Nutri-Grain ironwoman series which saw her training mate claim a maiden professional series title.
“Georgia’s the one to watch for sure,’’ Dunn said, “But at the Aussies pretty much anyone who makes the final can win.’’
The ironwoman final is at Broadbeach on Sunday.
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