Competitive swimmer Dorothy Dickey, 94, finds joy in and out of the pool
Ninety-four-year-old Dorothy Dickey has just stepped out the pool after an 800m swimming race, which she travelled across the country to compete in.
She leans in and tells me a secret.
"I just swam it, I didn't even race it, which was very naughty of me," she says.
The Melburnian was simply enjoying herself so much at the Masters Swimming National Championships in Darwin, she didn't want it to end.
"The most beautiful swim, the water quality was fantastic, the weather was perfect .... I couldn't race, it was so nice," she says.
"[My] time was pathetic — 17 seconds slower than I should've done."
'Dose of chlorine every day does world of good'
These days, Dorothy uses a walker to get around on land, but being in the water she feels totally free.
Dorothy Dickey at a training swim in Doncaster. (Supplied: Doncaster Dolphins Masters Swimming Club)
"It's beautiful because there's no pressure, when you're walking you've got pressure on your back," she says.
In and out of the pool, she is full of vitality and often asked about the source of her energy.
"It must be the chlorine," she jokes.
"A dose of chlorine everyday does you the world of good."
More seriously, she says finding and keeping motivation is key.
"Thank goodness I've got it," she says.
"Once you get down there [to the pool], you have a cup of coffee afterwards, a chat with everybody and that's where the fun is.
"Fun, fitness and friendship: that's what masters is all about."
Jetsetting swimmer
Masters swimming — basically the only way to compete in swimming after schooling years — has seen Dorothy travel across the country and the world since her daughter convinced her to join her swim club about 40 years ago.
Having joined her local swim club four decades ago, Dorothy remains passionate about the sport. (Mike Kermode)
"I've been with them ever since, it was the best thing I ever did," Dorothy says.
"I've travelled all around Australia, and I've done some international ones — the world masters — England, Tokyo, there's too many to think of.
"A lot of new friends, a lot more parties and just a very good life".
Doncaster Dolphins president Caroline Clarkson says Dorothy is a role model for other members.
"She is an inspiration to stay in the sport, we can see from her example how important it is to be able to participate in a sport like swimming later in life," she says.
When asked how competitive their oldest club member is, Caroline laughs and says "super competitive".
"When you look at her on the world stage and the times she is doing, they're still pretty jolly good for somebody who is 94."
When she was 85, Dorothy Dickey was the oldest participant in the Pier to Pub event at Lorne, on Victoria's Surf Coast. (ABC News: Karen Percy)
Dorothy shows no signs of stopping swimming yet, with her sights set on a new age category next year.
"I'll kill them next year because I'll be 95-99 [age category]," she says.
"I've just got to keep going until then — I'll see how I go anyway.
"This age, you just play it day by day, enjoy every minute."