By Christian Avard

RICHMOND, VA - It’s been weeks since I returned from the 2022 U.S. Masters Swimming Summer Nationals at the Collegiate School Aquatics Center in Richmond, Va. Every now and then I sing to myself the first two lines of Cher’s “If I Could Turn Back Time” (If I could turn back time … if I could find a way …) and re-live the memories of my first experience at nationals. That’s how special it was.

Things came together last December at the NE-LMSC & Colonies Zone SCM Championships at WPI. I hated backstroke. It wasn’t my favorite stroke when I swam competitively as a youngster, but somehow it was the first event I qualified for. In April (at WPI again), I qualified in one more event at the NE-LMSC SCY Championships: the 100 yard freestyle. With two bonus events to swim in (50 free and 50 breast) I was on my way to the U.S. Masters Swimming Spring Nationals in San Antonio, Texas until the worst happened. Days before I was about to fly out, I tested positive for COVID-19. I was devastated. Another dream dashed by circumstances beyond my control.
I regrouped for the LCM Summer Nationals. Raising money for summer nationals was difficult. Just when I was about to give up, a couple of friends suggested I raise funds online, like a Kickstarter campaign. I was reluctant at first. It felt awkward asking for money for something that wasn’t exactly for a special cause, but my friends assured me it was all good. I raised the funds in a matter of days and my training continued.

There’s a powerful feeling people have when they summit a mountain, see a sunrise or sunset on a beach, witness the birth of a child, etc. and realize how wonderful life is. I experienced that same feeling when I walked into the Collegiate School Aquatics Center on the first day of competition.

I swam for the Nashua YMCA Prospectors Swim Team growing up. I never made it to the YMCA National Championships, like some of my friends and teammates did, and it hurt for years. That chip on my shoulder, that resentment, finally came off at summer nationals and I was at peace.

My first event was the 50 meter freestyle. I finished 15th overall in the M 50-54 age group and beat my seed time (31:72) by over a second with a final time of 30:35. Then came the 50 meter backstroke, the stroke I hated. To my surprise, I not only won my heat, I placed 7th overall in my age group and beat my seed time (37:17) by over a second (again) with a final time of 35:69. I also placed 10th overall in my age group in the 50 meter breaststroke (seed time: 38:59, final time: 38:01) and the other highlight was swimming in the Men’s 280+ 200 M free relay with Mark Keil, Andover, Ma.; Jim Pope, Lowell, Ma.; and Dick Hutchings, Hubbardston, Ma. Our relay placed fourth overall and swimming with the three of them was an inspiration.

It took me 10 years to qualify for the masters swimming national championships. I tried to make the national qualifying times in several events but something always got in the way, whether it was a slow start, missing the wall on a flip-turn, weight problems, bad jobs that took me away from swimming, divorce, moving, or the COVID-19 pandemic. For years, I swam unattached, without a team, without any camaraderie, and without anyone to push me to swim faster. Last August, I moved to Lebanon, NH so I could teach in the Upper Valley and I joined the Upper Valley Rays Masters Swim Club where I got to train with Head Coach Barbara Hummel, masters swimming world record holder Fritz Bedford, and other talented swimmers. Being on a masters swim team, in my opinion, made a huge difference.

I also want to thank all the friends I’ve met through New England Masters Swimming. There are too many of you to name. I’ve met so many of you from writing meet recaps for NEM newsletters, from the numerous swim meets I competed at, and from post-swim meet parties. What a wonderful community … and in the words of Granite State Penguins masters swimmer Steve Carroll, “Rowdy! Rowdy!”