NAVIGATING a busy international swimming schedule while performing at peak levels is something uMhlanga resident Carryl van Bassen does very well.

The 61-year-old has been to three countries this year, the UAE, Mauritius and Türkiye.

She is training and getting ready for her fourth event on the world stage, the Oceanman World Final Championship in Dubai in December.

Her journey to this point began in April this year when placed second in the 3km swim at the Dubai International Aquatics Championships (60-65).

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In the same month she travelled to Mauritius where she won the Nando’s Open Water Swim Mauritius 3.6km swim (60-70).

Then in August she took part in the Bosphorus Continental Swimming Race 6.5km swim and placed second (60-64).

“It has been a busy year but a fruitful one. I was quite chuffed with all my events especially as it was my second time winning the Nando’s Open Water Swim. It was quite a competitive race because it brought together a good international field of swimmers. The other event that I was pleased with was the Bosphorus swim as this was my first time entering.

“It basically involves you swimming down the Bosphorus Straits from the Asian side to the European side. It was one of the toughest open water swims I’ve ever done because there were many currents and so many jellyfish. I was delighted with the results and I consider myself lucky to have been a part of the competition,” she said.

Van Bassen, who is a member of the Synergy Masters Swimming Club, is also trained by open-water swimmer Sarah Houston.

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Her goal is to get onto the podium in the UAE but she acknowledges it is a tough task.

“When you get older, generally your times get slower. To maintain my times I do a lot more strength training, I also make sure I’m on song in the pool and do a bit of cross training. Sarah has also helped me maintain those times, I train hard but she definitely knows what she is doing. For Dubai, my goal is to get onto the podium and perhaps even win it like I did last year,” she said.

Following Dubai, there is an even busier schedule for Van Bassen, who is also involved in lifesaving.

In February next year she takes on the Open Masters Games Abu Dhabi before the SA Masters Lifesaving Champs in March and then the World Masters Lifesaving Champs in November in Gqeberha which would be her fourth world masters champs.

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