The buzz words during the three-day swimming competition at the recent 2024 BC 55+Games in Salmon Arm were "Do It Like Betty."
That's an homage to Betty Brussel of New Westminster, a 100-year-old swimmer who swam her way to six gold medals in the 100-104 division, and did so while "Not looking a day over 80" according to Vernon swimmer David Poggemiller.
"Betty is an inspiration to us all with her endless energy and words of wisdom," said Poggemiller, 71, who used Brussel as motivation to swim his way to eight medals in eight events in Salmon Arm.
"She explained that if you want to swim fast, don't try to swim fast. Try to swim smooth with good technique and you'll swim fast," said Poggemiller. "I only had 10 minutes between my 50-metre butterfly and 200-metre individual medley events.
"I was breathing very hard, and I remembered Betty's advice so I swam like Betty suggested, and swam five seconds faster than my entry time. She is an amazing force in the pool and I had the good fortune to meet her. She's breaking records at 100 years young."
Poggemiller and fellow Vernon swimmers Steve Briggeman and Brent Applegath, collectively, brought home 16 medals from Salmon Arm.
Competing in the 70-74 age group, Poggemiller won the 25-, 50- and 100-metre backstroke races, the 100- and 200-metre individual medley, and the 50m butterfly.
Briggeman, a former Vernon Kokanee teammate of Poggemiller's, won three gold medals in the 65-69 class, taking the 25-m breaststroke, the 25m butterfly and 50m breast. He won bronze in the 25- and 50-metre freestyle events.
The pair teamed up with Steve Horton (butterfly) and Neil Reeder (freestyle) to win gold in the 4 x 25metre medley relay for the 260-299 division (the four swimmers' ages must add up to between 260 and 299 years of age).
"Reeder turned on the jets on the anchor leg to out-touch the South Central team on the final arm stroke by 0.53 seconds," said Briggeman. "That was an exciting race and the high point of the Games for me. I'm extremely proud of our team, especially swimming with David Poggemiller, a Vernon Kokanee teammate, from back in the early 1970s."
Briggeman, Poggemiller, Horton, and Chris Bissonette won silver in the 4 x 25m freestyle relay in the 260-299 class.
Applegath won gold in the 50m butterfly in the 65-69 age group. He was fifth in the 100m freestyle.
"Salmon Arm did an amazing job hosting the 2024 BC 55+ games," said Poggemiller. "I had a good time connecting with Steve Briggeman. We both swam for zone 5. Steve was very helpful putting our relay teams together and supporting all the swimmers. He was one of the most popular swimmers at the meet."
Coldstream's Mike Stamhuis and Vernon's Ian Johnstone were senior officials for the meet.
The 2025 B.C. 55+ Games will run Sept. 9-13 in Nanaimo.
