An 80-year-old Bala woman has a great story to share with her grandkids after she won a swimming world championship title in Montreal.
Glad Bryce and her teammates won gold and broke the Canadian record by two seconds while they were at it in the mixed relay at the FINA World Masters Championships. The team just came three seconds shy of setting a new record in the pool.
“I tell everyone I’m a whole lot faster in the relay than the individual because I want to push myself for my teammates and wanted to set the world record."
Bryce did this while needing a knee replacement.
“The surgeon and acupuncturist were working on her and she just sucked up the pain and raced her heart out…what a story,” says supporter Jack Hutton.
“I was hurting but I wasn’t going to stop know I had my family there,” added Bryce. “I’m still impressed that I had all my family there cheering me on, all four kids and their significant others and grandkids with nana banners and go grandma.”
“It’s remarkable that she was able to set the Canadian record, she just never gives up – it’s astonishing,” said Glad’s granddaughter Taylor.
Bryce first started swimming competitively 15 years ago, training to keep fit and show kids you’re never too old to have goals.
“I started right here on the lake and my backstrokes have always been my favourite, especially since they’ve changed the rules on the turn. I have been setting record times ever since.”
Bryce also placed sixth in the 200-metre backstroke, fifth in both the 50-metre butterfly and 100-metre backstroke, and fourth in both the 50-metre backstroke and the 200-metre individual medley, earning her five individual medals in addition to the relay win.
Glad will go under the knife in three weeks but says she’ll be back in the water in four months, training for the World Championships in Russia in 2016.
