John Harrison
Watermarks meets John Harrison, aged 86, of
Godalming and Royal Navy.This is an abridged interview. The full interview is published in Watermarks, Volume 1, Number 3, dated April 2000, available from our Order page.
How long have you been involved in masters swimming?At the age of 79 I contacted the Royal Navy at Portsmouth and asked if I could go along and swim with them. I had been out of the water for a long time. I left the navy in 1945.
Do you have a swimming background previous to becoming involved in masters swimming?
I used to swim for the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough as an apprentice aged 16 to 21.
Are you active in any other sports?
Not unless you consider ballroom and sequence dancing to be a sport.
Tell us about your present club?
I'm a member of Godalming. When I joined them seven years ago I was the only masters swimmer. Now there are 16 to 18 of us.
What do you consider to be your best events?
Backstroke. My 800m European record at the Isle of Wight meet was mostly backstroke. I also do the individual medley.
Have you competed abroad?
I went to the last two Europeans at Prague and Innsbruck. I was fortunate to get a GB record at Innsbruck last year.
What achievement in masters has given you the most satisfaction?
My 800m at the Isle of Wight when I broke the European record by a whole minute.
Is there one big ambition for you in swimming?
At my age it is just to keep going as long as possible.
If you could change one thing in masters swimming, what would it be?
I would change nothing. It is fair and well-organised.
This was an extract from the interview with John Harrison published in Watermarks, Volume 1, Number 3. Click as indicated for extracts from the interviews with Lesley Wilde and John Davis.